marked the marriage of Ferdinand (of Aragon) and Isabella (of Castille)

marked the union of the kingdoms of Aragon and Castille

consolidated Spain by uniting the different warring kingdoms

made Spain as the most powerful country in Europe

Muslims conquered Spain in 711 A.D.

part of a world-wide movement to spread Islam

made it a duty of all good Muslims to spread Islam

Muslim conquerors of Spain

movement by Christian kingdoms to reconquer lands taken over by the Muslims

nearly 800-year struggle of Christian kingdoms in Iberian Peninsula to drive away the Muslims

last Muslim kingdom in Spain; fell to Christian hands in 1492

completed the Reconquista in 1492 with the conquest of Granada

encouraged Spain to spread Catholicism in Muslim and pagan lands

financed expeditions to explore, discover and conquer new lands

financed the expedition of Christopher Columbus

AIM: to look for an all-water route to Asia

left Spain in August 1492 aboard 3 small ships --- Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria

crossed the Atlantic Ocean

reached America on October 12, 1492

made Europeans aware of the existence of the American continents in the Western Hemisphere

gave Spain additional lands in North America, Central America, South America, Caribbean

California Nevada Arizona Utah Colorado New Mexico Texas Florida

Mexico Guatemala Honduras El Salvador Nicaragua Costa Rica Panama

Santo Domingo Puerto Rico Jamaica Cuba

Ecuador Colombia Venezuela Peru Bolivia Paraguay Chile Argentina Uruguay

to spread Catholicism in Muslim and pagan lands

GOD

to find wealth for Spain

GOLD

to raise the prestige of Spain

GLORY