Iberian Society Heavy urbanization Emphasis on nobility Slavery
patriarchal
Slide 4
Portuguese Experience in Africa, involvement in slave trading,
extended to America
Slide 5
Spanish Created models in Caribbean, applied throughout New
World First colony: Hispaniola; settlement: Santo Domingo Grid plan
(unlike Europe) Encomiendas: grants of Indians as a labor system
Taino (Indians) supplied ag labor in Caribbean Discontinued by
1620s; Spanish crown didnt want the new nobility + decline of
Indian population made system less attractive
Slide 6
Conquistadors Bartolome de Las Casas: supported conversion of
natives; advocate of Indian rights Cortes: conquered the Aztecs,
Tenochtitlan Pizarro: conquered the Incas, Cuzco Few conquerors
were professional soldiers Agreement between crown & leader:
1/5 of all treasure to crown Conquerors = new nobility to oversee
new peasants (Indians) Most were cruel & ambitious
Slide 7
Conquistadors Hernan Cortes Francisco Pizarro
Slide 8
Spanish Advantages Epidemic disease: majority of native
population losses Horses Firearms Steel weapons Internal division
among the Indians Feared by natives European livestock (matched
number of natives lost) Indian nobility kept to help Spanish with
administration of natives
Slide 9
Slide 10
Spanish Economy in Americas Mita: forced Indian labor through
local officials (building government projects); replaced encomienda
Majority in agriculture Whole Spanish commercial system organized
around the mining economy Potosi = greatest silver mine Mercury
found in Peru was indispensable to extraction of silver Silver
production in Americas expanded rapidly after 1580
Slide 11
Ag in Spanish America Predominantly an agrarian economy
Colonists found land ownership attractive Indian communal ag in
traditional crops continued South America produced potatoes, but
not grains Plantation crops (sugar, cacao) were exported to Europe
Ag was NOT more valuable than mining Merchants in Seville had
monopoly on goods to America Spanish convoy system = galleons
American treasure caused a sharp rise in prices in Spain = negative
effect on Spanish economy
Slide 12
Iberian Rivalry Treaty of Tordesillas 1494 divided world into
spheres of influence between Portugal & Castile: Portugal gets
Brazil & east, Castile (Spain) gets west (all of N America
& most of S America)
Slide 13
Administration & Religion University-trained lawyers were
most critical to the administration of Spanish colonies
Recopilacion: basis of law in the Indies Audiencias: judicial
divisions controlled by superior courts Catholic church introduced:
Universities baroque style architecture printing press Monasteries
strong connection between church & state
Slide 14
Brazil First major plantation zone Organized to produce
tropical crops in demand in Europe 1500 Pedro Cabral settled Grants
of land to minor nobles = captaincies 1700: of Brazils population
was slaves Brazils plantation system was copied by other European
nations in Caribbean; later competition led to falling sugar prices
& higher costs for slaves Brazil was only one of Portugals
colonies; others in Asia & Africa (Spanish colonies almost all
in Americas)
Slide 15
Brazil Minas Gerais gold discovered Rio de Janeiro became
capital after gold discovery Began buying goods with gold &
failed to develop internal industries
Slide 16
Society Race basis for social hierarchy in Americas Castas =
mixed race Mestizo = Spanish/European + Indian Mulatto =
Spanish/European + African Peninsulares = born in Spain, lives in
the New World Creoles = Spanish born in the New World
Slide 17
Reforms of 18 th century in New Spain Bourbon dynasty recast
colonial administration in Spanish Americas Jose de Galvez Minister
of the Indies responsible for reforms Introduced French Intendancy
system to improve government, though upset traditional Creole power
Established state monopolies on tobacco & gunpowder Extended
plantation system to Cuba Buenos Aires grew as a regional trade
center More government control over economy
Slide 18
Reforms in Brazil Marquis of Pombal minister responsible for
reforms Did not change slavery labor still based heavily on slavery
Mid 18 th century: population growing considerably Productive
capacity growing, too
Slide 19
Reform Tupac Amaru leader of Indian revolution in Peru in 1781
Various racial & social groups failed to act together to make
changes in colonial governments