Imperial expansion
What Imperial expansion means in History GCSE, as defined for Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Imperial expansion
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Reference: Pearson Edexcel
Santo Domingo acted as a crucial base for further exploration, the enforcement of Spanish law and the initial implementation of the encomienda system, cementing Spain's imperial foothold.
The 1546 discovery in Zacatecas, Mexico, drove northern expansion and generated immense wealth for the Spanish Crown.
The 1511 conquest of Cuba marked a pivotal expansion of the Spanish Empire from Hispaniola.
Topics that use Imperial expansion
- Option P1: Key topic 1: Spain reaches the Americas, c1490–1512 - 3 Spanish claims in the Caribbean (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
- Option P1: Key topic 2: The conquistadors, 1513–c1528 - 1 The start of an empire (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
- Option P1: Key topic 3: The Spanish Empire c1528–c1555 - 2 Expansion of empire (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
Related terms
- Economic exploitation
- Encomienda system
- Strategic settlement
- Bartolomé de las Casas
- Colonisation and settlement
- Conflict and rebellion
- Economic monopoly and trade
- Exploration and discovery
Using Imperial expansion in the exam
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