When we talk about the colonial expansion in the 15th century we saw the context in which the “discovery of america”. After the arrival of Colon, there was a first period of exploration of the new lands, and soon settled there colonies permanent. This implied the domination of the native peoples and the adoption of the prerogative of sovereignty over this new continent by the Castilla’s crown. All this was the support for the primary objective exploitation economical.
At the time of the arrival of the Spanish, America was inhabited by indigenous peoples with different degrees of development: from egalitarian hunter-gatherer bands to powerful centralized states that controlled great wealth. The geographical conditions (climate, relief, altitude, soil, rivers) varied from one region to another and, therefore, the natural resources available in each area were different.
Refering to populationthe most developed areas -such as Mexico and the Andes Peruvians and Bolivians – had large concentrations of indigenous people; while other areas such as the Patagonia Y The Pampa They had very few inhabitants.
As a consequence, the way in which the economic exploitation of the territories conquered by Spain was not uniform: the type of production, the working conditions and the obligations of the indigenous communities varied from one region to another.
What kind of economic interests did the Spaniards have in America?
During the XV century, the Spanish monarchy had achieved the centralization of political power and the strengthening of the State through the creation of new institutions (bureaucracy, army, diplomacy, etc.). Because of this, the Crown needed precious metals to meet the enormous expenses of the court, armies and officials.
The military conquest of the American territories was carried out by groups of men (we will call them pathfinders) that they sought to achieve in America your expectations of riches and prestige. The Crown signed contracts with them Capitulations, by which they authorized the expeditions; In exchange, the Crown received a part of the riches obtained.
Consequently, the interest of the Spaniards focused on the powerful and wealthy Aztec and Inca Empires and, once these states were mastered, Mexico and Peru they became the centers plus important of Spanish colonial rule.
How did the economic exploitation of the means American people?
The economic exploitation of American resources was carried out in two different stages. During the first half of the century XVI an extractive stage was developed, in which the Spaniards seized the treasures accumulated by the Incas and the aztecs; Then they collected the Prayed of alluvium from the rivers, but in a few years this resource was exhausted.
The second stage, the productive exploitationbegan in 1550 with the exploitation of the deposits of silver from the mines of Zacatecas (Mexico) and of Potosi (Bolivia). The precious metal production in the mines Americans were the largest source of colonial income for the Crownit is estimated that -in a century and a half- Spain received 181 tons of gold and 16,887 tons of silver. Following the boom in silver production, Potosi it became -in just 25 years- one of the largest and richest cities in the world.
The production of the mining was closely related to the agricultural-livestock production, through which many of the needs of the mining centers were satisfied. In the case of Potosi, for example, it was supplied with dried meat, wheat, skins and wines from Chili; and livestock and handicrafts Cordova Y Tucuman they provided him with draft animals (mules) and fabrics.
Great part of agricultural and livestock production was held in estates or estancias that were large estates (latifundios) belonging to Spaniards. The rest of the production was carried out by the indigenous communities which, through the institution of the parcelthey were obliged to deliver their products to the encomenderos as tribute.
Font.
ALONSO, ELIZALDE and VAZQUEZ. History. Europe modern and colonial America.Buenos Aires, Aique, 1994.
CARDOZO and PEREZ BRIGNOLI. Economic history of Latin America. Barcelona, Critique, 1984.
Images:
Currency minted in New Spain (Mexico), in Wikipedia
Conquest of Tenochtitlan, on wikipedia
Engraving illustrating the work in the Potosí mines, in Encuentro.
Economic relations in the American colonies, in encounter.