The discovery of America

1. The Discovery of America
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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2. Previous situation
 Commercial expansion in the XV
century
 Fall of Constantinople
 Interest for new places
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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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
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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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
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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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
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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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
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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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.
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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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)
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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9. The facts. Colon´s journey
 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”?
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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10. The facts. Colon´s journey
 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.
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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11. The facts. Colon´s journey
 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.
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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12. The facts. Colon´s journey
 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.
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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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.
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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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)
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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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)
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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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
Prof. Samuel Perrino Martínez. SEK Les Alpes
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