The Encomienda system granted Spanish colonists land and native laborers to convert to Christianity. Hernan Cortez conquered the Aztecs after being welcomed initially, believing he was a god. The Spanish captured the Aztec emperor and conquered their capital in 1521, taking their gold and silver and attempting to abolish their religion. The Inca empire was already weakened by smallpox before the Spanish, including the death of their emperor, allowing Francisco Pizarro to eventually conquer them in 1532. The Portuguese established their empire in Brazil, claimed in 1500 and establishing their capital in 1549 through mines and agriculture.

1. Spanish and Portuguese: Conquest of the Americas