Encounters and Conquests Flashcards
reason for the treaty of Tordesillas
1494
-to resolve conflicts arising from new discoveries.
-Desire both Spain and Portugal - secure claims over new discovered territories (Columbus - S) and trade routes (de Gama - P).
-crucial to establish clear demarcation of influence - avoid conflicts - dividing line.
-The papal bull Inter caetera, issued in 1493 - granted Spain the rights to lands discovered by Columbus - Portugal felt disadvantaged - negotiated further - led to treaty.
What was the Treaty of Tordesillas?
1494
-Defining a dividing line between Spanish and Portuguese spheres of Influence.
-drawn from the North Pole to the South Pole, approximately 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands.
-Spain - majority of the America’s
-Portugal - territories to the east - parts of Africa and Asia.
-Legal framework for divisions.
-Signed by Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Ferdinand II of Aragon, and Isabella I of Castile
-And - reigning monarch of Portugal, John II.
How effective was the treaty?
-relied heavily on geographical accuracy - however dimensions of the globe - not fully understood.
-Lands west of line (Spain) - far more extensive - evident after circumnavigation of the globe by Megellan - vastness of the Pacific and unchartered territories.
-Temporary resolution of territorial disputes.
-However, set stage for further conflicts/negotiations - as more territories discovered.
Portuguese in Asia - Albuquerque
Admiral Alfonso de Albuquerque:
-under his leadership - Portgugal established itself in Goa (West Coast of India), Malacca (Indonesia) and Hormuz (Arabian peninsula).
-In order to dominate Indian Ocean trade - fortifications and trade taxation and licences.
Why did Portugal succeed in Asia?
Sturdy Ships:
-Indian/Turkish ships - were long, light and few cannons.
-Portuguese bulkier + long range cannons to bombard cities and vessels from afar.
Tactics:
-Attacked quickly before galleys could move from their port
-used naval blockades.
Attitudes:
-‘Do or die’ - no back up in Indian Ocean - had to be adventurous and ruthless to deal with local superior forces.
-Maximised local disputes to gain bases or ports from ruler against it’s neighbors.
Christianity in Asia
Japanese Daimyo’s and Chinese emperor’s - welcomed jesuits to their court.
-discussed with confucian scholars.
-Emperor tolerated Christianity - it was compatible with Imperial Allegiance.
-Missionaries often limited to Urban areas at the start - mixing with local women until the Catholic reformation on set more rigorous standards - 1540s.
-Inquisition and auto-da-fe introduced in 1563 in Goa:
-objective was to enforce Catholic orthodoxy and allegiance to the Holy See.
-Conversions - included persecution of Hindus and the destruction of Hindu temples.
-Most intense 1590s onwards - practices like offerings to local deities were perceived as witchcraft.
-Aside from those who converted, Asian’s lives were mostly not affected by Europeans - limited to trading areas.
Portugal vs Ottoman Competition in Asia
Ottomans:
-Conquered Egypt 1517
-protectors of Mecca and Medina.
-Supported maritime expeditions, map making, voyages, diplomatic missions, trade and religious indoctrinations in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean.
-Allied with locals
-However, support for their influence declined as Indian Mughal and Safavid empires grew.
-Dutch and English presence increased.
Portuguese in Asia - Oda Nabunaga
Daimyo of Japan - used -Portuguese trade to acquire fire arms - attempt to unite japan
How was the early Portuguese relationship with Africa?
Trade-based
-Europeans - reluctant to move inland (avoid tropical diseases - malaria, yellow fever, sleeping sickness)
-tended to stay as close to the coast as possible.
-traded wool, silk, tools, weapons for gold, cotton, ivory and slaves.
Portguese Kings made treaties with WestAfrican rulers - E.g. Benin, Oyo, Kongo.
Missionaries ventured in land
-To convert natives
-In search of supposed Christian kingdom of Prester John.
Christianity in Kongo
-Congo - powerful Kingdom - today Congo, Zaire and Angola.
-Jesuits and Capuchin - missionaries - particularly successful in Kongo.
-Learn native language KiKongo and a bilingual Catholicism was written in 1556 and printed in 1624.
-Christianity became very important in Kongo.
-It’s capital Mbanza, had many Churches and was called ‘Kongo of the bell’.
-The next Manikongo (Nzinga Mbemba 1543) took the title of Alfonso I - was raised a christian and converted his subjects to Christianity.
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How did the Sugar trade affect European-West African relations?
-Sugar - present in Indonesia and India since ancient times.
-Grew well on the Atlantic Islands and off the African coast.
-Worked by many ethnic groups both free and slave to start.
-However - slavery kept the labour cost low, and made it more accessible so it was cheaper to many, increasing the demand in England (several pounds per a person per a year).
-meant it was profitable - further investors.
-from 1480s - plantations off the African coast - worked by Slaves.
-Slaves were captured in any way possible and with the complicity of the African nations
-But Alfonso I of Congo wrote a latter to John III of Portugal to lament the trade involving slaves.
-Eventually due to the rebellion of the American locals - Africans taken to the Caribbean by the ‘Middle Passage’.
What was the triangular trade?
Europe to Africa:
-manufactured goods such as metals, brass dishes, knives, tools, textiles, firearms, ammunition, and alcoholic beverages.
-Transported to Ship ports in Africa - traded for slaves in Africa (abducted fromt eh ‘slave coast’ -Volta River in the west to Lagos - modern day Nigeria).
-Many more west-central Africa, centred on the Portuguese colony in what is now Angola.
Africa to the Americas:
-Shipment of slaves across the Atlantic Ocean, usually to Brazil or the West Indies - ‘Middle Passage’.
-sold at auction and were taken throughout the New World.
Americas to Europe:
-Shipment of products from the plantations to Europe
-exports to Europe were sugar, rice, indigo, tobacco, cotton, molasses, and rum.
Impact of the Triangular trade on West Africa?
-1000s and then 10,000s were taken (mostly men).
-Led to family disruption and internal instability among African nations.
-Slave sellers in Africa gained from the slave trade,
-The great Kingdom of Kongo was eventually weakened by the slave trade and broke into smaller states.
-However it did last for a while… height under Manikongo Garcia II - ruled between 1641-61.
-slavery did not evenly effect every west African nation.
What was the difference between Spanish in Central and South America and the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean?
-Technological advantages
-ruthless and specific amotivation
-Patronage.
-Spain was favoured by diseases like measles, mumps, bubonic plague, influenza and smallpox – which in certain areas killed 90% of the population.
-Drop in population allowed following waves of immigration and conquests by Spanish and Portuguese first - England and France later.
Who were the Aztecs?
-Based in Mexico
-Founded by The Mexica
-People around 1300s.
-Capital – Tenochtitlan on Lake Texcoco.
-Warriors took prisoners for ritual human sacrifice.
When did the Spanish conquer the Aztecs?
-Only in 1519 Cortes launched an expedition towards the Atzecs
-Aided by many locals who were against the Aztecs
-capture the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, in 1521.
-Took over by 1521
Why did the Spanish send an expedition to conquer to Aztecs so late?
-practical and logistical problems:
-horse getting used to climate
-risk of being attacked
-unknown territory
-language
What did the Spanish do to establish conquest in the Americas?
-Built Churches and towns.
-Monoculture plantations like in the Caribbean.
-Conquerers and settlers had large estates and benefitted from the encomedia system already in use in the Caribbean.
-missionaries established Christina communities and converted the natives.
What was the impact of the discovery of the Potosi silver mine?
-discovery of silver mines in Peru - sped up Spanish conquest.
-Spanish government gave rights to mine in exchange for 20% of what was mined.
-Labour was regimented according to the encomedia system.
-native had to extract mercury too (highly poisonous - needed to take silver from silver ore).
-Overwork, disease and mine poisoning killed many natives.
-other fled to remote locations that could not be controlled by the limited Spanish troops.
-to solve this problem - slaves imported from the Caribbean = who were unlikely to escape (disconnected from locals and territory).
-Mine owners introduced wages for better working conditions.
-Missionary priest who vocally objected to the harsh treatment of the locals were sent back to Europe.
What were the European communities like in South America?
-Spanish officials intended to keep European and Indian communities apart.
-Spanish + Portuguese lived in cities and wore clothes made in England with silk from China, ate dutch dishes, drank Portuguese wine, worshipped in Churches designed by Italians.
-Native lived in villiages, as they had done before the arrival of the Europeans, raising animals, hunting.
-In the areas away from mines natives continued to live their lives undistrubed.
-Yet disease did reach remote area.
-However, fewer women from Spain and Portugal went to the colonies - mixed society was inevitable.
-African slaves increased the number of mixed “races” people called Casta or Mestizos.
-by 1600 only 200,000 could claim to be from European descent only.
Who discovered Brazil?
Cabral (Portuguese) same year as Vespucci (Spanish) - 1500.
-Yet tordesillas consolidated Portuguese rule of Brazil.
Portuguese interest in Brazil before John III?
-limited due to the lack of precious metals - they were more inclined to consolidate trade in the Indian ocean.
-France took advantage - went over to Brazil and traded the ‘brazil’ wood found there - used for fye.
increased Portuguese interest in Brazil
-Started with King John III who reigned between 1521-57.
-In 1533 Brazil split into 15 hereditary dominions or fiefs - each 50 leagues along the coast and as much as one wishes in land.
-Each led by a ‘Captain’.
-However - most of the dominions were not successful except 2:
-John decided to unify and centralise the administration under a governor selected by Portugal.
-Tomé de Sousa was the first governor - founded the capital Bahia (todays Salvador).
-founded in 1549 - remained the century of government for over 2 centuries.
-local officials placed in charge along the coast of fortified settlements.
-reported back to the governor.
2 successful dominions in Brazil?
- São Vicente had established a port - population of 6000 by mid XVI century).
-Pernambuco - became a sugar plantation - perhaps the first example of profitable export.
