6.1 Portuguese and Spanish Empires in the Americas and Asia

The Portuguese and Spanish empires expanded rapidly in the Americas and Asia during the 15th and 16th centuries. This expansion was driven by a desire for wealth, power, and the spread of Christianity, leading to the establishment of vast colonial territories and trade networks.

The conquest of the Americas by Spanish conquistadors like Cortés and Pizarro had profound impacts on Indigenous societies. Meanwhile, Portuguese explorers established trading posts across Asia, creating a global trade network that connected Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Spanish Conquest and Administration in the Americas

Encomienda System and Colonial Administration

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• Encomienda system granted Spanish colonists the right to demand tribute and forced labor from Indigenous populations in exchange for providing food, shelter, and instruction in the Catholic faith
• Enabled the exploitation of Indigenous peoples and extraction of wealth from the Americas to Spain
• Viceroyalties established as administrative divisions of the Spanish Empire in the Americas (New Spain, Peru)
  • Governed by viceroys appointed by the Spanish monarch to oversee colonial affairs, maintain order, and ensure the flow of wealth to Spain
  • Viceroyalty of New Spain encompassed present-day Mexico, Central America, and parts of the southwestern United States
  • Viceroyalty of Peru initially covered most of Spanish-controlled South America

Conquistadors and Their Impact

• Conquistadors were Spanish explorers, soldiers, and adventurers who led expeditions to the Americas during the 15th and 16th centuries, seeking wealth, power, and the spread of Catholicism
• Hernán Cortés led the conquest of the Aztec Empire (1519-1521), capturing the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan and bringing Mexico under Spanish control
  • Cortés formed alliances with indigenous groups who were hostile to the Aztecs, such as the Tlaxcalans, which played a crucial role in his success
• Francisco Pizarro led the conquest of the Inca Empire (1532-1572), capturing the Inca emperor Atahualpa and gaining control over vast territories in South America
  • Pizarro exploited the Inca civil war between Atahualpa and his half-brother Huáscar to weaken the empire before launching his conquest
• The conquests of the Aztec and Inca Empires resulted in the destruction of Indigenous societies, the imposition of Spanish rule, and the extraction of wealth through the encomienda system and forced labor in mines (silver in Potosí)

Bartolomé de las Casas and Criticism of the Encomienda System

• Bartolomé de las Casas was a Spanish Dominican friar who became a vocal critic of the encomienda system and the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples in the Americas
• Argued that the Indigenous peoples were rational human beings with souls, deserving of humane treatment and the right to live freely
• His advocacy led to the passage of the New Laws of 1542, which aimed to limit the power of the encomienda system and improve the treatment of Indigenous peoples, although the laws were not effectively enforced
• Las Casas' writings (A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies) brought attention to the abuses committed by the Spanish in the Americas and sparked debates about the morality of colonialism and the treatment of Indigenous peoples

Portuguese Empire in Asia

Spice Trade and the Estado da India

• Portuguese explorers, driven by the desire to access the lucrative spice trade and establish direct trade routes to Asia, began navigating around the coast of Africa in the 15th century
• Vasco da Gama's voyage around the Cape of Good Hope and across the Indian Ocean (1497-1499) marked the beginning of direct European trade with Asia and the establishment of the Portuguese Empire in the East
• The Portuguese established the Estado da India (State of India), a network of trading posts, fortified settlements, and naval bases along the coasts of Africa, the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia
  • Key trading posts included Goa (India), Malacca (Malaysia), and Macau (China)
  • The Estado da India allowed Portugal to control the spice trade and extract wealth from Asia, while also serving as a base for Christian missionary activities

Manila Galleons and the Global Trade Network

• The Manila Galleons were Spanish trading ships that sailed annually between Manila (Philippines) and Acapulco (Mexico) from 1565 to 1815
• These ships facilitated the exchange of goods between Asia and the Americas, connecting the Spanish Empire's possessions in the East Indies with its American colonies
  • Asian goods (spices, silk, porcelain) were transported to the Americas, while American silver was brought to Asia
• The Manila Galleons played a crucial role in the development of a global trade network, linking the economies of Asia, the Americas, and Europe
  • The influx of American silver into Asia, particularly China, had significant economic and social impacts, such as the monetization of the Chinese economy and increased demand for Chinese goods in Europe

Division of the New World

Treaty of Tordesillas and the Demarcation of Spanish and Portuguese Claims

• The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) was an agreement between Spain and Portugal, mediated by Pope Alexander VI, that divided the New World into two spheres of influence
  • The treaty established a line of demarcation 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands
  • Lands to the east of the line were allocated to Portugal, while lands to the west were allocated to Spain
• The treaty aimed to resolve disputes between the two Iberian powers over newly discovered territories and to prevent conflict in their efforts to explore and colonize the New World
• The division of the New World had significant consequences for the colonization of the Americas and the development of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires
  • Spain focused on the conquest and settlement of the Americas, establishing vast colonial possessions in Mexico, Central America, and South America
  • Portugal concentrated on the exploration and colonization of Brazil, which fell within its sphere of influence according to the Treaty of Tordesillas, as well as the establishment of trading posts in Africa and Asia