NEW WORLDS AND HISPANIC GLOBALIZATION (INCLUDING THE END OF EMPIRE AND THE LEGACY OF THE SPANISH EMPIRE) Flashcards
topic 2 (23 cards)
15th and 16th Centuries: Reconquista and Consolidation
The unification of Spain began with the marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile in 1469.
The completion of the Reconquista in 1492, with the fall of Granada, marked the end of Muslim rule in Spain and the beginning of Spanish global expansion.
In 1492, Christopher Columbus voyage, sponsored by the Catholic Monarchs, led to the “Discovery” of the Americas
The Age of Empire (Treaty of Tordesillas 1494)
(Treaty of Tordesillas 1494): Divided the non-European world between Spain and Portugal
The Spanish and Portuguese empires established colonies in the Americas, Africa, and Asia, focusing on resource extraction (ex. silver, gold, spices)
16th Century: Expansion in the Americas
Spanish Conquistadors, like Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro, conquered major empires, including the Aztec and Inca Empires
The establishment of colonial administrations, such as the Viceroyalties of New Spain and Peru, allowed Spain to extract resources, particularly gold and silver
Transatlantic Slave Trade
Between 1525-1866, 12.5 million slaves were shipped from Africa to the New World.
About 2 million died during the voyage
Mostly from Central and West Africa
Started by the Portuguese
Brazil and the Caribbean had the most slaves
Sugar, coffee, cotton, tobacco, gold and silver…
Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
1811: Spain abolished slavery in its colonies (except Cuba and Puerto Rico)
17th- century Europe: Imperial Competition
Intense imperial competition. Portugal, Spain, England, France, Netherlands in Asia and the Americas.
Britain, France, and the Netherlands challenge Spanish and Portuguese dominance
17th- Century Europe: What is Mercantilism and Plantation economies and slavery?
Mercantilism: Economic policies aimed at controlling trade and amassing wealth through colonies, which provided raw materials and markets for manufactured goods
Plantation Economies and Slavery: Colonies in the Americas relied heavily on enslaved labor to produce sugar, tobacco, and cotton
17th Century- consolidating power and territorial expansion
Difficult to consolidate power domestically and manage overseas colonies.
No paved roads or trains.
No telegraphs or telephones.
Lack of (or slow) information
Difficult to police and tax populations.
Different ethnicities and languages.
Colonialism through force and economic and social incentives
17th-century Europe: Rise of England and Holland
After 1620, England and Holland overtook Spain and Portugal as leaders of power and wealth.
England: Absolute monarch: pre-1688; constitutional; post-1688
-Netherlands: Republic (1648) - popular sovereignty, elected representatives.
Models for other European Governments and rest of the world
17th-century Europe: Decline of Spain
-Spain’s had dominated Europe militarily
-16th-century discovery of gold and silver in South America
-From 1610 onward, Spain faced decline
-Had difficulty maintaining control of empire
-American gold and silver were drying up
-overwork and diseases killed many slaves who worked in mines
Continued 17th Century: Decline of Spain, what drained resources?
-The Thirty Years’ War (1618-48) drained Spanish resources
-1610-50: Spanish trade with its American colonies decreased by 60%
-Increased imperial competition
-In Madrid, expenditures were constantly higher than income
-Domestic Spain was underdeveloped and struggling economically
What happened in 1648 and 1688 during the decline of Spain?
-Spain lost Dutch Netherlands (1648), French Catalonia (1659)
-Spain recognized Portuguese independence (1688)
Spanish Habsburg Empire
-Under Charles I (later Holy Roman Emperor Charles V) and Philip II, Spain became a dominant European power
-With its powerful Armada and commitment to expanding Catholicism and territory, it was a global point of reference
Who ruled in 16th and 17th century Spain?
-In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Hapsburgs ruled over Spain
-Hapsburgs controlled Austria, central Europe, Spain, Low Countries, South America
-However, their rule ended with the death of Charles II because he had no children
War of Spanish Succession- when was it? what happened?
1701-1715
-Charles II, the Last Hapsburg King, died in 1700
-had no children
-led to a succession crisis
-Left the Spanish crown and empire to Philip V, his great-nephew and Louis XIV’s grandson
War of Spanish Succession
-Violated prior agreement stipulating he would divide his Spanish territories between Philip V (Charles II’s great-nephew and Louis XIV’s grandson) and the Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke Charles of Austria (Cousin of Charles II)
-Louis XIV supported Philip V as Charles II’s successor, sparking the war
-Alliance of England, Netherlands, Austria and Prussia countered Louis XIV
-Afraid Spanish and French crowns would unite
-War lasted until 1715
-Resolved by Treaties of Utrecht (1713-15)
War of Spanish Succession - what was the Treaties of Utrecht etc.
-Treaty of Utrecht (1713-15)
-Philip V could be king of the Spanish Empire (starting the Bourbon dynasty), but the French and Spanish crowns could never unite
-France and Spain had to give up territories: Spain gave the Spanish Netherlands (today Belgium and Luxembourg) to the Habsburgs and Gibraltar to the British
-France ceded Newfoundland and Nova Scotia to Britain
Ended Louis XIV’s expansion
Louis XIV died (1715), and France was nearly bankrupt from successive wars
18th century: Imperial Rivalries and Enlightenment
Rivalries: European empires clashed in wars such as the Seven Years’ War (1756 - 1763), fought globally due to colonial interests
-This further weakened Spain’s power
-Impact of Enlightenment: Ideas of liberty and human rights began to challenge the morality of slavery and colonial exploitation, leading to growing unrest in colonies
19th Century: Napoleonic Wars and Independence Movements
-Napoleon’s invasion of Spain in1808 weakened the monarchy and sparked resistance
-The political chaos during the Peninsular War inspired independence movements in Latin America
-From the early 19th century, colonies in Latin America fought for and achieved independence, with leaders like Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin
19th Century: Napoleonic Wars and Independence Movements
-By the mid-19th century, Spain retained only a few colonies, notably Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines
-The Spanish-American War of 1898 resulted in the loss of these territories to the United States
Legacy of Colonialism
-Fusion of European and Indigenous traditions
-Extractive systems enriched Europe while impoverishing the colonies
-established the modern interconnected world system
-anti-colonial movements were integral in shaping modern nations
Legacy of Spanish Colonialism
-Spain’s colonial history profoundly shaped global trade, culture and politics
-Spanish remains one of the most important world languages today
-the empire’s influence persists in architecture, religion, and governance across former colonies
-Modern Spain reflects on its imperial past through debates about cultural heritage and historical accountability
