THE SPANISH EMPIRE, SILVER, & RUNAWAY INFLATION

• How was the Aztec government and society structured?

  • Formed out of an alliance between 3 major cities: tenochtitlan, tlacopán, and texcoco
  • The Aztec state was very hierarchial
  • There was a priest whose job was to keep order in the religious cosmos by human sacrifice 
• How the Inca Empire's administration worked

  1. Highly centralized

  2. Complex bureaucracy overseeing taxation, labor, and military service

  3. Empire divided into provinces

  4. Each province governed by appointed official

  5. Official responsible for collecting tribute and enforcing Inca law
• Inca's treatment of conquered peoples

  • Promoted cultural assimilation
  • Allowed conquered peoples to retain customs and language
  • Imposed Inca religion and language on elites
• Aztec's treatment of conquered peoples

  • Decentralized approach
  • Allowed conquered territories to maintain own rulers and systems of governance
  • Demanded tribute and military support
  • Practiced ritual human sacrifice as form of control and intimidation
• What resource did the Spanish find instead of gold, and how did they extract this resource?

  • they found silver and extracted this resource by using a similiar system to the mit’a system. the spanish made indigenous people mine for the silver 
• What were the economic results of Spanish silver mining in the Americas?

  • led to a massive influx of silver into the global economy, causing inflation in Europe due to increased money supply
  • The silver mines relied heavily on forced indigenous labor, leading to widespread exploitation and suffering among indigenous populations
  • The influx of silver fueled European economic growth, contributing to the rise of capitalism and global trade
  • However, it also contributed to economic inequality and instability in Spain, as the wealth from silver did not lead to sustainable economic development
• What other country had a problem with inflation? How did they try to deal with it, and were they successful?

  • England experienced significant inflation. To combat this, the government implemented price controls, regulated currency supply, and issued proclamations against hoarding and speculation. However, these measures only had limited success due to resistance from merchants and other factors like population growth and increased demand for goods. Overall, while efforts were made to control inflation, they were not entirely successful
• What were some effects of China's new tax structure in the sixteenth century?

  • It increased government revenue, providing funds for public works, military campaigns, and administrative expenses
  • The tax reforms centralized power in the hands of the Ming dynasty, strengthening their control over the country
  • However, the burden of taxation fell heavily on the peasantry, leading to widespread discontent and occasional rebellions
  • The tax system also contributed to economic stagnation by discouraging investment and entrepreneurship among farmers
• What were the overall global effects of Spanish silver mining?

  • It led to a massive influx of silver into the global economy, causing inflation in Europe and Asia due to increased money supply
  • The increased availability of silver facilitated global trade and contributed to the rise of capitalism
  • It fueled European economic growth, funding exploration, colonization, and wars
  • However, it also had negative consequences, such as environmental degradation, exploitation of indigenous labor, and economic instability in Spain
• Continuities in economic and labor systems from 1450 to 1750 through the Spanish Empire, Silver, &

  Runaway inflations

  1. The Spanish Empire continued to rely heavily on forced indigenous labor, particularly in the silver mines, leading to widespread exploitation and suffering
  2. Economic systems remained hierarchical, with wealth concentrated in the hands of a few elites, while the majority of the population struggled with poverty and inequality
• Changes in economic and labor systems

  1. The influx of silver from the Americas transformed the global economy, leading to inflation in Europe and Asia and contributing to the rise of capitalism
  2. The Spanish Empire's economic fortunes fluctuated due to fluctuations in silver production and mismanagement of resources, leading to periods of prosperity and decline
  3. Runaway inflation caused economic instability in Spain and its colonies, challenging traditional economic systems and leading to social unrest and political upheaval