Spanish and Portuguese explorers began their colonization of the New World in the 1400's. During National Hispanic Heritage Month, many of the sites from the violent era can be found, as well as the centuries that followed.
After Christopher Columbus' first voyage to the Caribbean, other explorers set out to conquer vast areas of North and South America. The Aztec Empire and Francisco Pizarro were defeated within a generation. The Grand Canyon was discovered by Francisco Vsquez de Coronado while he was searching for the Seven Cities of Gold.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of significant sites to visit in the US and other countries because of Hispanic exploration. During Hispanic Heritage month, you might want to consider traveling.
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There are many Spanish missions in California where the Indigenous people were converted to Christianity and forced to work. The Spanish missionaries went from one mission to the next in California. The Mission San Francisco Solano near the town of Sonoma was built in 1823 to convert Native Americans from Christianity. There were 21 Spanish missions built in California.
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The Basque Sheepherder Monument is located in a park. The sculpture depicts a man carrying a lamb over his shoulder to represent the first generation of Basque immigrants who were mostly shepherds. The Jon Bilbao Basque Library is located at the University of Nevada in Reno.
St. Augustine was founded in 1565 by a Spanish admiral. Florida was occupied by Spain from 1783 to 1823. The National Park Service's Castillo de San Marcos National Monument is one of the Hispanic heritage sites in the city. The white obelisk that is thought to be the world's only original monument to the Spanish Constitution can be seen from the fort.
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The capital city of San Juan was founded in 1521 by Spain. The Castillo San Felipe del Morro was built in 1539 and is still standing. The entrance to the city's harbor was guarded against attacks from the British, Dutch and pirates in the past.
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The Jesuit mission on the peninsula of Baja California was established in 1730. As the Indigenous population staged uprisings in response to being forced to convert, the European missionaries had to move their mission. The mission was built on the banks of the San Jose River but moved to the coast to protect it against raids. The church still hosts daily services and its twin bell towers are still a landmark.
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The Spanish conquered the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan 500 years ago. The ruins of that city have changed into Mexico City. The region used to hold giant lakes with islands. The area around the Templo Mayor is one of the archaeological sites that can still be found today. The Museo Nacional de Antropologia is a great place to learn more about the Aztec culture.
More than 400 years ago, the walls of the city were built to protect it from pirates. This was one of the most important bases in the New World, from which it shipped treasures from all over the world. The forts and walls were built to stop the English, French and privateers from invading the city. They are some of the best preserved Spanish fortifications in South America.
The oldest continuously inhabited South American capital was founded by the Spanish in the 16th century. The Church of San Agustin was built after the Spanish forced local peoples to convert to Catholicism and was the site of the signing of the Act of Independence. Many of the religious buildings are now museums and can be visited in the historical center of the city, which was the first-ever city to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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Since European explorers first arrived in the Americas over 500 years ago, they and their descendants have built cities, monuments, churches and other landmarks that still exist today.
Spain's military, economic and cultural conquest created a significant historical record of Hispanic heritage that continues to this day. The suppression of many Indigenous cultures in North and South America resulted in much of that success.
It is an excellent way to learn more about Hispanic heritage while also acknowledging the costs that were inflicted on other cultures during the Age of Exploration and beyond.
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