| − | Though Americans mostly speak English today, it was Spain which first settled colonized North America. Through use of their military, called the Spanish Conquistadors, and Spanish explorers such as Vasco Nunez de Balboa (1513 in Panama), Juan Ponce de Leon (1513 in Florida), Hernando Cortes (who defeated the Aztecs in Mexico in 1519), Panfilio de Narvaez (1528 unsuccessful expedition to the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico), and Hernando de Soto 1539-1541 throughout the south to Oklahoma and including the Mississippi River). Finally, in 1540-1542, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado explored from Mexico up through Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma and as far north as Kansas. None of those states existed then, but these were the first Europeans to see these lands. | + | Though Americans mostly speak English today, it was Spain which first settled North America. Through use of their military, called the Spanish Conquistadors, and Spanish explorers such as Vasco Nunez de Balboa (1513 in Panama), Juan Ponce de Leon (1513 in Florida), Hernando Cortes (who defeated the Aztecs in Mexico in 1519), Panfilio de Narvaez (1528 unsuccessful expedition to the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico), and Hernando de Soto 1539-1541 throughout the south to Oklahoma and including the Mississippi River). Finally, in 1540-1542, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado explored from Mexico up through Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma and as far north as Kansas. None of those states existed then, but these were the first Europeans to see these lands. |
| | The result was "New Spain" in the "New World," where settlements of about 200,000 migrants from Spain traveled to the south and west and intermarried with American Indians who lived there. There were strict layers of social classes, and Indian slaves were used to work on large estates called "encomiendas". African slaves were also imported by the Spaniard settlors. The highest class were the peninsulares (from Spain), and their direct descendants born in this New World were called creoles. The offspring of Spaniards and Indians were the Mestizo. | | The result was "New Spain" in the "New World," where settlements of about 200,000 migrants from Spain traveled to the south and west and intermarried with American Indians who lived there. There were strict layers of social classes, and Indian slaves were used to work on large estates called "encomiendas". African slaves were also imported by the Spaniard settlors. The highest class were the peninsulares (from Spain), and their direct descendants born in this New World were called creoles. The offspring of Spaniards and Indians were the Mestizo. |
| − | Spanish settlements tended to be like military posts, such as St. Augustine in Florida. Founded in 1565, it is the oldest continuous European settlement in the United States, and exists to this day. | + | Spanish settlements tended to be like military posts, such as St. Augustine in Florida, rather than colonies having their own self-government as the English colonies did. Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest continuous European settlement in the United States, and exists to this day. Sante Fe (meaning "holy faith" is the oldest capitol, established in 1610 in what is now New Mexico). |