Spanish Exploration And Colonization

Causes and Effects of Spanish Exploration and Colonization Spain played a critical part in the exploration and colonization of the Americas. At the heart of the Spanish exploration, was the desire to gain access to the spice and silk routes to increase their power and wealth. This would prove to be a venture with many obstacles but also many fortunous outcomes. The exploration opened the door to new trade, new people, and the future of the world.

For many years, the Spaniards and the Portuguese were in a rivalry attempting to gain all or partial control over the silk and spice trade routes. According to Spices: A Local Commodity, Yale University, 2010, “Spices were regarded as drugs and as disease preventatives in a society so often visited
The Portuguese believed that Columbus was mistaken and had actually landed near the Canary Islands, which was Portuguese territory. He then sent a threatening letter to King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I, forcing them to honor the Treaty of Alcaçovas. According to, The Treaty of Alcaçovas, signed September 4th 1479, “That neither… will they disturb [nor] trouble the said King and Prince of in their possession or quasi possession all the trade, lands, and barter in Guinea [West Africa],” (Document 2). This treaty granted any lands near the Canary Islands or South of it that were to be discovered to Portugal. In fear that Columbus may have actually discovered the silk and spice routes, the Spanish now had to obey by the rules of the Treaty of Tordesillas. As stated in, The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed June 7th 1494, “This boundary or line shall be drawn straight at a distance of three hundred and seventy leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands… And land discovered already, or to be discovered hereafter on the eastern side [of the line]… shall belong to, and remain in the possession of the said King of Portugal and his successors,” (Document 4). The explorations of the Spaniards seemed to be plagued with many
The Americas, which the Spain had uncontestably conquered, enticed new Spanish adventurers to explore and claim new territories for their own benefits. The efforts that were used to conquer these new lands led to the abuse and mistreatment of the Native American Indians who occupied those territories. According to the Description of the Conquest of the Aztecs, by Hernando Cortes, “The Spanish and their allies blockaded the city, denying the populace food and water. An outbreak of smallpox further weakened the city's defenders,” (Document 6). Hernando Cortes, an adventurer in search of wealth and power treated the Native American Indians poorly by starving them of food and water in order to defeat the Aztecs, who were very wealthy and technologically advanced. Twenty years after the conquest of the Aztecs, the Spaniards continued to harshly mistreat the Native Americans. According to, A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, by Bartolome de Las Casas, “Spaniards… are still acting like ravening beasts, killing, terrorizing, afflicting, torturing, and destroying the native peoples,” (Document 7). This abuse led to the diminishing population of the Native American Indians, who were the source of labor in the Americas. This led to the demand of a new labor source, hence the introduction of the African slave trade. As seen in, The Triangular