The document discusses the colonization of Latin America by European powers. It describes how Portugal's control of trade routes led Spain to seek another route, discovering the Americas. This led Pope Alexander VI to establish the Line of Demarcation dividing new lands between Spain and Portugal. However, other European nations like France, England and the Netherlands still explored and settled in these areas. The document also discusses how Spain and Portugal ruled their colonies from a distance and often mistreated the indigenous populations.

1. Latin America

2. South America
• Portugal had exclusive control on trade to the
East along the sea route around Africa
• This forced Spanish to find another route to
China
• They found the “New World” and worked to
monopolize it!

5. Line of Demarcation
• Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand called on
Pope Alexander VI (a Spaniard) to decide who
could settle where.
• Everything to the east of the line went to
Portugal
• Everything west of the line went to Spain

8. • Portuguese were unpleased with this because
the winds they needed to get around Africa
took them into Spanish area
• The Treaty of Tordesillas was established

10. • How did other nations feel about the Treaty of
Tordesillas?
• The French, Dutch and English explored areas
anyway.

11. Treatment of the Natives
• Europeans looked down on the Indians and
pressured them to become more civilized (or
more European)
• At best, the Indians were second class citizens
who were expected to perform whatever
menial tasks the Europeans were unwilling to
do.

12. How were they going to rule their
settlements?
• They were separated from their settlements
by an ocean.
• They wanted absolute power like they had in
their home countries

13. There were 3 problems to that:
1. Couldn’t solve problems quickly because had
to wait for answers to issues
2. They ignored the Creoles (Spanish or
Portuguese born in Americas).
– They only gave governing duties to those born in
the mother country
3. Spain and Portugal determined the price,
quantity, and types of goods that could be
produced and sold in the colonies.

14. Portuguese Rule of the Colonies
• Portugal granted control to 12 nobles called
donatario (doh nah TAH ree oh)
– Their rule would be passed down to their sons
– Had complete control of the land
– Were responsible to colonize, defend and tax their
territory and to send excess funds to Portugal

15. • The Roman Church would bring complaints of
the colonists to the donatarios
• If the complaints were ignored, the church
would report back to Portugal

16. Spanish Authority in New World
• Spain appointed a viceroy to rule each colony
• The viceroy had to answer to the Council of
the Indies (which was in Spain)
• Also had an official who was in charge of each
village or city.

17. Native Population
• Explorers were sent as ambassadors from
Spain to native South Americans
• Friars and priests were sent to convert the
Indians

18. • Conquistadors were rewarded with land with
an Indian labor force
• Many conquistadors were harsh in treatment
of this labor force

20. • Bartolome de Las Casas spoke out against
mistreatment
• His efforts helped pass the New Laws of 1542
– Courts were established to protect the Indians and
mestizos (people with Indian and Spanish parents)
– Most reforms were overturned by powerful
landowners

22. • Slaves were needed to take the place of dead
Indians
• At least 9 millions Africans were enslaved and
brought to the New World

23. • Silver and sugar were the two major exports
of colonial Latin America
• Over time, Indians became skilled labor and
black slaves did hard labor of digging and
loading
• Today, one of most profitable resources is
coffee

24. Ch. 8 Sec. 1
Discussion Question
1. Why were there an attempt to divide the
New World between Spain and Portugal, and
how did other European nations respond?