history - spain and the new world (key topic 3)

Which country did Spanish control of the New world bullion create the most tension , what did this country do?

• France

• They hired privateers (pirates) to attack ships near Spain so French government could claim some of the treasure without having to actually attack Spain

Treasure fleet system?

• created two main fleets (Tierra Firma and new Spain) who sailed to the new world to gather goods and sail back to Spain. Protected by galleons

What were galleons

Galleons were large war ships which have cannons

Protected the bullions by patrolling the sea routes sailed with unarmed ships

How did spain respond to France

• sent a fleet of warships into Atlantic Ocean to protect treasure

• Partially successful to protect Spanish ships close to port, French would send ships further out to intercept earlier

What was a result of the treasure fleet system?

• led to an increase in smuggling as government was taxing recourses coming back from new world (20% for gold and silver)

• People sneaking recourses into Spain in order to avoid taxes

Consequences of impact of trade with new world : growth of Seville

• Seville was inland port, 100km up small river

• Protected Seville from enemy attack by water, river slow + sluggish

• Large ships struggled to reach Seville , made harder by wrecks on river

• Due to trade in NW, Seville became the most prosperous city in western world

Consequences of impact of trade with new world : growth of Consulado de Mercaderes

• Spanish merchants demanded a say in running of Casa de Contracion

• Set up merchants guild, consulado de mercaderes, formed a monopoly, meant they could control most of trade with Spanish colonies and keep prices high

• Their control on economies of both Spain and new world grew

Consequences of impact of trade with new world : labour shortages

• encomienda system, growing trade of cotton, tobacco and silver mines all requires large amounts of labour

• Native population had fallen due to early deaths from disease, overwork + mass killing in early days

• Resulted in labour shortages by mid 1550’s

• Growing labour shortages started to lead to rising wages

Consequences of impact of trade with new world : growth of slave trade

• Bartolomeo De las Casas was already suggesting in 1520’s that native labour should be replaces by African labourers, later changed his mind

• Under Treaty of Tordesailles , Spanish couldn’t directly acquire slaves from west Africa as it was under Portuguese control

• Spanish merchants granted licenses (asientos) to supply slaves to new world

• Licenses sold to highest bidder, those who bought them could buy Slaves from Portuguese and sell go merchants in New World for high prices

• Slaves also sold to encomeneros