1.7 - Rivals on the World Stage

European Maritime Empires and the Treaty of Tordesillas

Portugal's Early Exploration:

• Portugal was one of the first European nations to explore and establish a maritime empire, driven by the desire to access the lucrative spice trade in the Indian Ocean.

• Under the leadership of Prince Henry the Navigator, Portuguese explorers began sailing around the African coast.

• Vasco da Gama eventually reached the Indian Ocean, establishing trade relations and setting up trading posts throughout the region.

  • This created what is known as a trade post empire, where the Portuguese controlled trade routes rather than large territories.

Spain's Entry into Exploration:

• Spain joined the maritime empire game by commissioning Christopher Columbus to find a westward route to the Indian Ocean.

• Instead of reaching Asia, Columbus landed in the Bahamas, leading to Spain claiming large territories in the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and the coastline of South America.

• Despite having fewer men, Spanish Conquistadors like Hernán Cortés were able to topple large indigenous empires, largely due to the devastating effects of European diseases like smallpox.

The Treaty of Tordesillas:

• Tensions between Portugal and Spain over newly claimed lands in the Americas led to the intervention of Pope Alexander VI.

• The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) drew a line of demarcation to resolve these tensions:

  • Spain was granted all lands west of the line.

  • Portugal was granted all lands east of the line.

  • Despite the agreement, both nations occasionally disregarded the line as they expanded their overseas empires.

Expansion of Other European Powers:

• France, England, and the Netherlands soon followed in establishing their own maritime empires:

  • France focused on trade, particularly in North America and Canada, and formed alliances with indigenous groups like the Huron Confederacy to capitalize on the fur trade.

  • England established settler colonies along the Atlantic coast of North America and in the Caribbean, driven by economic competition and the lucrative tobacco trade.

  • The Dutch focused on trade, competing with the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean while also establishing colonies in North America.