| A | B |
|---|
| The close proximity of Northeast Asia to the North American continent | The first settlers from the Old World likely came by boat to America rather than by land bridge |
| The Ice Age | Emergence of a land bridge between Northeast Asia and North America (Beringia) |
| The large distances and wide varieties the Native Americans adapted to | Diverse cultural differences, including linguistic differences, between Native Americans that eventual led to an overall lack of unity against the Europeans |
| The lack of domesticated animals in the Americas | Native Americans lacked diseases common in Europe and thus lacked immunities to these diseases |
| The major cultural, religious, and technological differences between Europeans and Native Americans | The Europeans see the Native Americans as heathens and savages |
| The Crusades, desire for Eastern spices, missionary spirit, the Renaissance, and improved maritime technology | Europeans break out of the Middle Ages, go exploring, and want to find ways to reach the Orient |
| Ferdinand and Isabella marry | Spain is unified, the Moors are expelled (the Reconquista), and Columbus' voyages are funded |
| The treacherous voyage around the Cape of Good Hope and Columbus' belief the world was smaller than it actually is | Columbus decides to sail west across the Atlantic to get to the Spice Islands |
| Pope Alexander IV not wanting Spain and Portugal fighting over the New World | The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) draws a line of demarcation dividing the New World between Spain (west of that line) and Portugal (east) |
| Columbus' belief he had landed in the Spice Islands when he hit land in 1492 | The indigenous peoples were mistakenly called "Indians" and Columbus was convinced until the day he died that he had not discovered a new continent |
| The 3 G's and humble origins many of the conquistadores came from | The conquistadors were incredibly aggressive, brutal, and cutthroat individuals |
| Cortes' spectacular success and riches he gained when he conquered Tenochtitlan and the Aztecs | Cortes became an inspiration for future conquistadors |
| Cortes' weapons, numerous Indian allies, and most importantly disease | The far more numerous Aztecs were defeated by Cortes with relative ease |
| Europeans' ruthless warfare, superior weapons, lack of Native American unity, and disease | The Europeans defeated the Native Americans rather easily |
| The isolation of the Old World from the New World | The Columbian Exchange of plants, animals, technology, and disease brought revolutionary changes for both continents |
| Few Spanish women and families moving to New Spain | Rise of a mestizo class in New Spain |
| Too much gold and silver flooding Europe from New Spain | Inflation, a "price revolution", and a lack of economic diversification of New Spain |
| The need for England to paint their enemies the Spanish in a bad light | Rise of the Black Legend that the Spanish were unusually cruel and brutal toward the Native Americans |
| Spain's far-flung New World Empire and long-standing presence | Spanish cultural legacy in Latin America (ex: language and Catholicism) |
| The Spanish need to protect Mexico against French and English encroachment | Establishment of Spanish settlements in Florida, Texas, and New Mexico |
| Franciscan friars’ desire to convert Pacific coast Indians to Catholicism | Formation of a chain of mission settlement in California |
