After Columbus sailed to the America (1492), Spain went about conquering the Americas.  Over time, Spain gained other territories beyond the Americas and became a maritime empire.  The Spanish Golden Age was a period of great cultural expansion from 1550 to 1600 paid for with wealth from the Americas, mostly silver.

Contents

Map

All the areas that were once part of the Spanish Empire.

Causes for Spanish Growth (See also: Causes of European Exploration and Conquering 1450-1750)

• Ferdinand and Isabella

• Columbus

• Treaty of Tordesillas

• Magellan

Spanish Americas in the 1500s, 1600s, 1700s

• Atlantic Slave Trade

• Conquest Aztec

• Conquest Incas'

• Caribbean 

• Spanish Americas Government 

• Silver Trade

Other Spanish Territory 

• Philippines

Loss of empire

• American Revolution

• Mexican War of Independence

• South American Revolution

• Spanish American War

•  

People

• Columbus, Christopher
• Pizarro, Francisco
• Ferdinand and Isabella
• Cortés, Hernán
• Magellan, Ferdinand 
• Bolivar, Simon

See Also 

• Key Concept 6-2

• Mexican Revolutions

• Nationalism

• Silver Trade

• Spain 

• Maritime Empires