The Spanish claimed all of the lands in

The Spanish claimed all of the lands in the “New World” and named it La Florida (“the island of flowers” – early Spanish explorers believed Florida was an island).

• 1. GOD: • Spain wanted to spread the faith of the Roman Catholic Church to the Native Americans, by force if religious motivation). • 2. GOLD: • Spain wanted to acquire wealth, primarily gold and precious jewels, from the “New World” for the benefit of the Spanish Empire (an economic motivation). • 3. GLORY: • Spain wanted to acquire new lands in order to expand the Spanish Empire (an military motivation).

In 1540, Hernando De Soto, with 600 conquistadors, became the first European to explore the interior of Georgia. Video

Hernando De. Soto • In 1540, Spanish explorer Hernando De. Soto, with approximately 600 men, marched north from Tampa, Florida into southwest Georgia (near today’s Albany) in search of Gold. • De. Soto’s metal weapons, plated armor, war dogs, and horses overwhelmed the Native Americans; thousands of Georgia’s Native Americans died, many from diseases (such as Small Pox) brought by the Spaniards. De. Soto also brought pigs to the New World. These pigs were not used for food but were used for protection from reptiles.

Leaving the Spanish base in the Caribbean, he marched across the entire southeast in search of gold, became the first to look upon the Mississippi River, and was ultimately killed by hostile Indians.

Unfortunately, the Spanish presence had many terrible, unintended consequences, for the Native American cultures, permanently changing them. • 1. Native Americans were often forced to accept European religion. • 2. Thousands of Native Americans were enslaved by the conquering Spanish and relocated to other Spanish colonies. • 3. Perhaps millions of Native Americans were killed by Spanish weapons and, more significantly, Spanish diseases like smallpox. • 4. Some tribes (ex. , the Careb & Arawok) were killed into extinction.

In 1732, on the eve of the founding of Georgia, North America was divided between the claims of three nations.

Spanish Missions • Mission – Definition: A religious church or station established in a foreign land to allow missionaries to spread their religion. • In 1566, Spain established missions on Georgia’s Cumberland Island St. Catherine’s Island, called Santa Catalina. During the same century, posts were established at Sapelo and St. Simon’s Island. • The Spanish missionaries called the region Guale (pronounced “Wallie”) after the Guale Indians. • The missions were used by the Spanish to convert the Native Americans to Catholicism but also served as a trading post; Native Americans used the missions to integrate themselves into the European world.

Effects of the Spanish • New forms of government and religious beliefs were shared with the natives. • Many natives died of smallpox and other diseases spread by the Spanish. • The Spanish enslaved many Indians living here.