The Discovery of America

Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes

1 The Discovery of America


2 Previous situation

Commercial expansion in the XV century

Fall of Constantinople Interest for new places


3 Commercial expansion in the XV Century

Species were an important product at that time

Aragon was a kingdom focus on trade, and Castilla had a good Fleet


4 Fall of Constantinople Constantinople was the capital

of the Byzantine Empire

It was an strategical point for the trade of species, so Europeans should look for new routes


5 Interest in the maritime trade

Competition between Castille and Portugal

Important new advances in the exploration (astrolabe, new watches, etc.)

Portugal: In 1415 Portugal conquered Ceuta

In 1488 Bartolomé Díaz reached the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa


6 Interest in maritime trade

Competition between Castilla and Portugal

Castilla: New ship models (caravel) Castilla is interested in trade

with Europe, but France was an enemy --- Development of new ships


7 The facts. Colon´s journey

Colon believed the Earth was round, so it would be possible reach the “Indias” with an alternative route

People believed the Atlantic Ocean was the end of the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw1AlwaHskQ&list=PL3E9D3DFAF9312BFE&index=2


8 The facts. Colon´s journey.

He submitted his expedition to Portugal, but Portugal refused his Project because:

Portugal had an alternative route

Economic demands of Colombus

France, England and Spain (the first time) also refused the Project (it was considered too risky)



In 1492, after the conquest of Granada, Isabel accepted his Project. The agreement was called “Capitulaciones de Santa Fé”

Colon looked for a partner to finance part of the expedition (Pinzon´s brothers)

¿Do you remember what is a “Capitulación”?



Colon went with three caravels: Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria, and he stop over in the Canary Islands before going towards the “unknown West”

The journey took around 5 weeks, and the crew was close to the rebellion. Finally, they reached America the 12th of October (National Spanish Day)

Colon believed he was in Japan.



He left a small town (Fuerte Natividad) and he went back to Iberian Peninsula

He had a meeting with C.M, and Isabel tried to legalize the new Discovery with a new agreement with Portugal.

The negotiations were hard, but finally they reached a deal: The Tordesillas Treaty (1494) where the two powers established a new imaginary line.

This deal will allow the colonization of Brazil by the Portuguese.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxDJI2sqjUE&index=29&list=PL3E9D3DFAF9312BFE



Colon will make three more trips to America, but he was disappointed because:

He was unable to find gold The trips are very expensive Spaniards are unable to adapt to the

new crops in America Indigenous attacks Internal rebellion against Colon

…Finally Colon was accused of “bad government” and he was condemned to prison, although he was forgiven by Isabel. He died in 1506 in very bad conditions.


13 The organization of a new world

The headquarters (Casa de Contratación) were in Seville (Gudalquivir river)

In the headquarters, Spanish Empire organized the different tasks: customs, warehouse, control of emigration, etc. so everything was centralized in Seville (departures and arrivals of ships)

The 20% of the earnings in the New World should be for the Crown.


14 Organization of the new continent. Native population

Castilla sent governors to rule the new territories

The native population was extremely pacific, and Spaniards used them as a servants

America was a new way to become rich (lands and servants)

The native population was very bad treated, so in some islands the native population is substituted by black people from Africa (i.e Cuba)


15 Organization of a new continent. Native population Nevertheless, some Spaniards

will denounce the bad treatment of the native population

Two key moments:

Grito de Montesinos(1512) The Valladolid debate (one of

the most important debates in the history of the world, in 1555)


16 Organization of a new continent

The “De las Casas thesis” finally won the debate.

The Crown will establish the “Laws of Burgos”. According these laws the Indians will be Spanish citizens

They will have some rights: salary, house and peaceful conversion

Although these laws, the abuses will continue in the American territories

The Discovery of America

Education

Transcript of The Discovery of America