EUROPEAN COLONIES IN THE AMERICAS

• What two European powers were most important in the early colonization of the Americas in the late 1400s and 1500s? What was their relationship as they expanded into the Americas?

  • Spain and Portugual 
  • Their relationship as they expanded into the Americas was marked by competition and conflict, often mediated by agreements such as the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, which divided newly discovered lands outside Europe between them along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands
• What industries were first developed in the Spanish colonies of New Spain and Peru?

  Silver mining, agriculture, sugar production, dye-making
• Silver mining

  New Spain and Peru were known for their rich silver mines, which became one of the most important industries in both regions.
• Sugar production

  Sugar plantations were established in both colonies, utilizing indigenous and African labor to cultivate sugarcane and produce sugar
• Dye-making

  Natural resources such as cochineal insects were used to produce red dye, while indigo plants were cultivated for blue dye
• Agriculture

  Besides sugarcane, other crops like maize, wheat, and various fruits were grown to support the growing populations and economies of the colonies
• What methods did the King of Spain use to control the huge territory included in New Spain?

  the king would used viceroys to administered the huge territories whenever he couldnt be there
• What were the two so-called "republics" in the Spanish colonies? Who was included within each of these groups?

  • The first was the republic of Spaniards, called españoles. It included all Spaniards and individuals associated with them including enslaved Africans, children of Spanish-Indian couples, Asians, and any other non-Indians
  • The other was the republic of Indians, called indios. This group included all indigenous people not living in major Spanish towns
• Empires that followed Spain and Portugal in the Americas

  • British Empire
  • French Empire
  • Dutch Empire
  • Russian Empire
• British Empire

  • Established colonies along the eastern coast of North America, including the Thirteen Colonies, which later became the United States
  • Emphasized diverse economic activities such as agriculture, trade, and manufacturing
  • Had a relatively larger settler population
  • Developed more representative forms of government, eventually leading to the establishment of independent states
• French Empire

  • Established colonies in North America, particularly in present-day Canada and the Mississippi River Valley
  • Colonialism focused heavily on the fur trade and establishing alliances with indigenous peoples
  • Characterized by a less hierarchical society compared to Spanish and Portuguese colonies, with a greater degree of cooperation and intermarriage with indigenous populations
• Dutch Empire

  • Established colonies in the Caribbean, South America (e.g., Dutch Guiana), and North America (e.g., New Netherland, which included parts of present-day New York)
  • Colonialism was marked by a strong emphasis on trade and commerce, with colonies acting as centers for global trade networks
  • Notable for their relatively liberal policies toward religious and cultural diversity
• Russian Empire

  • Expanded into Alaska and the Pacific Northwest of North America during the 18th and early 19th centuries
  • Colonialism in the Americas focused primarily on the fur trade and resource extraction
  • Relatively limited in scope and population, with a primary focus on economic exploitation rather than permanent settlement
• • Spanish dominance in the Americas began with the creation of New Spain and Peru, leading to societies based on silver mining, sugar production, and dye-making
• • Colonial societies were diverse, including indigenous, African, and Asian populations, and celebrated Catholic practices and Spanish culture in everyday life
• • Spaniards saw indigenous people as childlike and easily influenced
• • Only Spanish Friars could stay overnight in indigenous communities to protect and convert them
• • This for social division, rooted in the belief of indigenous inferiority, failed due to resistance
• • The Spanish established viceroyalties with councils of judges called audiencias, and town councils were prevalent, even including indigenous communities
• • The Viceroyalty of Peru was established in 1542, encompassing all Spanish possessions in South America during this time
• • Urban planning guidelines were established for colonial cities, with central plazas and grid-patterned streets
• • Social life revolved around political and religious practices brought from Spain, with public celebrations and festivities
• • Portuguese colonization in Brazil initially focused on trading posts, but later expanded to include sugar plantations and mining communities
• • The Spanish and Portuguese colonial populations were outnumbered by mestizos, Africans, and indigenous peoples
• • Other European powers such as the English, Dutch, and French challenged Spanish and Portuguese dominance through piracy, naval assaults, and imperial battles, leading to intense international rivalries and global wars