1. Spain: The Beginning

2. Christopher Columbus Made his famous voyage in 1492 He initiated the process of Spanish colonization (which eventually led to European Colonization of the Americas.) “pre-Columbian” refers to the people and cultures before Columbus came

3. Spanish Immigration to America About 240,000 Spaniards came to the Americas in the 1500’s and 500,000 in the 1600’s Population in present day Mexico declined 90% by the early 1600’s (due to disease and civil strife)