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The funding for Columbus came from Spain instead.  Though Columbus was Italian, it was Spain who financed his voyages as the strain of fighting the Muslims subsided.  Isabella and Ferdinand felt secure in granting the Genoese upstart Christopher Columbus his long-awaited funds.  Beginning on August 3, 1492, Columbus embarked on four voyages, perhaps becoming the first European to discover the New World, although at first he believed he had reached India (hence his name for the inhabitants of the New World:  “Indians”).  The discoveries by Columbus included the Bahamas, Cuba, Haiti, San Salvador, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Trinidad and Honduras.  Columbus, the master mariner that he was, subsequently sailed back to Europe and then again to the Caribbean, and was able to find the exact same locations on his return voyage.  Columbus’ astounding success presented an increasing challenge to Spain’s Portuguese rivals.

The funding for Columbus came from Spain instead.  Though Columbus was Italian, it was Spain who financed his voyages as the strain of fighting the Muslims subsided.  Isabella and Ferdinand felt secure in granting the Genoese upstart Christopher Columbus his long-awaited funds.  Beginning on August 3, 1492, Columbus embarked on four voyages, perhaps becoming the first European to discover the New World, although at first he believed he had reached India (hence his name for the inhabitants of the New World:  “Indians”).  The discoveries by Columbus included the Bahamas, Cuba, Haiti, San Salvador, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Trinidad and Honduras.  Columbus, the master mariner that he was, subsequently sailed back to Europe and then again to the Caribbean, and was able to find the exact same locations on his return voyage.  Columbus’ astounding success presented an increasing challenge to Spain’s Portuguese rivals.

The pope finally resolved this rivalry between Spain and Portugal in the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, which established an 1100-mile long “Line of Demarcation.”  This division of world territories gave Portugal trading rights in India, China, the East Indies, East Brazil and Spanish Americas.  Spain was given control of the remaining, vast majority of the Americas.  Ferdinand Magellan then led the first successful voyage to circumnavigate the globe in 1519.  Although Magellan was killed by Philippine natives before completing the last leg of the journey, he was the first to sail around the tip of South America to enter the Pacific Ocean.  Only 18 of Magellan’s approximately 250 sailors made it back to Spain three years later, in 1522.   

The pope finally resolved this rivalry between Spain and Portugal in the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, which established an 1100-mile long “Line of Demarcation.”  This division of world territories gave Portugal trading rights in India, China, the East Indies, East Brazil and the Spanish Americas.  Spain was given control of the remaining, vast majority of the Americas.  Ferdinand Magellan then led the first successful voyage to circumnavigate the globe in 1519.  Although Magellan was killed by Philippine natives before completing the last leg of the journey, he was the first to sail around the tip of South America to enter the Pacific Ocean.  Only 18 of Magellan’s approximately 250 sailors made it back to Spain three years later, in 1522.   

As a result of Magellan’s journey, Spain gained control of many South American territories, including Peru.  Spain also obtained control over the Philippines in the Far East.  Spanish warrior Hernando Cortes led the conquest of Mexico, with the initial help of the Aztecs, many of whom believed Cortes was their god Quetzalcoatl (who, conveniently for the Spanish, was expected to appear that very year).  Cortes captured the Aztec ruler Moctezuma (popularly known as “Montezuma”) and conquered their empire.  Cortes was also aided by an Aztec woman named Malinche, who served as a guide and translator.  Cortes burned the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan and built Mexico City in its place.   

As a result of Magellan’s journey, Spain gained control of many South American territories, including Peru.  Spain also obtained control over the Philippines in the Far East.  Spanish warrior Hernando Cortes led the conquest of Mexico, with the initial help of the Aztecs, many of whom believed Cortes was their god Quetzalcoatl (who, conveniently for the Spanish, was expected to appear that very year).  Cortes captured the Aztec ruler Moctezuma (popularly known as “Montezuma”) and conquered their empire.  Cortes was also aided by an Aztec woman named Malinche, who served as a guide and translator.  Cortes burned the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan and built Mexico City in its place.   

Francisco Pizzaro led the conquest of Peru, eventually killing their emperor, Atahualpa.  The ancient Peru city of Cuzco was completely destroyed and replaced with the city of Lima.  While in Peru, Pizzaro also discovered the greatest silver mine in the Americas, the vast majority of which was traded with China, whose economy was based on silver.  Both Cortes’ and Pizzaro’s conquests were facilitated by the use of horses and superior weapons, and the South Americans were also devastated by European diseases like smallpox.  The native population had no immunity to such disease, and some historians claim that the Spanish intentionally spread the deadly disease by giving the natives blankets that carried the germ.  There is one defect to that anti-Christian theory: the germ theory was not discovered until the 19th century!  No one knew that diseases were spread by germs in the 1500s, so the story is pure fiction.

Francisco Pizzaro led the conquest of Peru, eventually killing their emperor, Atahualpa.  The ancient Peruvian city of Cuzco was completely destroyed and replaced with the city of Lima.  While in Peru, Pizzaro also discovered the greatest silver mine in the Americas. The vast majority of silver obtained was traded with China, whose economy was based on silver.  Both Cortes’ and Pizzaro’s conquests were facilitated by the use of horses and superior weapons, and the South Americans were also devastated by European diseases like smallpox.  The native population had no immunity to such disease, and some historians claim that the Spanish intentionally spread the deadly disease by giving the natives blankets that carried the germ.  There is one defect to that anti-Christian theory: the germ theory was not discovered until the 19th century!  No one knew that diseases were spread by germs in the 1500s, so the story is pure fiction.

Using the Spanish system of “encomiendas”, many of the South American natives became slaves to their Spanish conquerors.  A Dominican monk and missionary, [[Bartholomew de Las Casas]], sent sensational descriptions to the Spanish government of the supposed atrocities committed against the “patient, meek and peaceful” natives by the Spanish conquistadors, whom he described as “cruel tigers, wolves and lions.”  Although some of what Las Casas said was true, historical research has proved most of it to be false and exaggerated.  However dishonest his methods may have been, Las Casas’ reports eventually led to the king of Spain issuing “New Laws,” by which exploitation of the natives was ended by the replacement of the old “encomiendas” with the new “repartimientos”.  Both systems are criticized as unfair today.  The system of “encomiendas” was based on royal grants of land, while the system of “repartimientos” was based on gifts of Indian labor.  Either way, the Indians ended up working for the Spanish, but it is usually true that “to the victors go the spoils.”

Using the Spanish system of “encomiendas”, many of the South American natives became slaves to their Spanish conquerors.  A Dominican monk and missionary, [[Bartholomew de Las Casas]], sent sensational descriptions to the Spanish government of the supposed atrocities committed against the “patient, meek and peaceful” natives by the Spanish conquistadors, whom he described as “cruel tigers, wolves and lions.”  Although some of what Las Casas said was true, historical research has proved most of it to be false and exaggerated.  However dishonest his methods may have been, Las Casas’ reports eventually led to the king of Spain issuing “New Laws,” by which exploitation of the natives was ended by the replacement of the old “encomiendas” with the new “repartimientos”.  Both systems are criticized as unfair today.  The system of “encomiendas” was based on royal grants of land, while the system of “repartimientos” was based on gifts of Indian labor.  Either way, the Indians ended up working for the Spanish, but it is usually true that “to the victors go the spoils.”