Portugal and the Americas/Portuguese Explorers C.J. Hunter Wednesday, January 07, 2015 5th

Causes for Exploration Iberia conquered Portugal by 1250 along with other countries Christian expansion motivated sailing and exploring between Spain and Portugal Iberia explored for resources The country helped finance explorations

Portuguese explorers Bartolomeu Dias: 1st to go around S. Africa and enter the Indian Ocean Vasco da Gama: 1st to sail around Africa and reach India Pedro Álvares Cabral: went to South America; claimed Brazil

Portuguese explorers Miguel Corte-Real: mapped 600 miles of the coast of Labrador. Amerigo Vespucci: mapmakers named Americas after him for explorations, 1st for Spain then for Portugal To prevent issues, the Treaty of Tordesillas was made

The voyages

Treaty of Tordesillas Spain: the land east of the line except Brazil; it belonged to Portugal Portugal: the land west of the line

Settlement in Brazil Africans helped settle the Americas Runaways lived in communities called Quilombos Low numbers of European immigrants settled in Brazil Needed slaves more than every other colony

Effects of settlement in Brazil Exchange of agriculture between Africans, Europeans, and Americans Rebellions against the settlers Disease from Europe Horses Amerindians being used for labor

Effects of settlement in Brazil con. Religion spread King had to make a viceroy for Brazil Sugar plantations made the big money Taxes sapped the colonies Discovered Gold deposits Led to growth illegal trade with Britain

The Slaves from Trade Originally used Amerindians that were prisoners of war, or kidnapped Decreased because of epidemics Led to slave trade by raiders Africans were expensive Became artisans, soldiers, etc. but usually agriculture was their area More industrious and were immune to disease

The Slaves from Trade Increase of plantations, therefore more slaves needed Africans outdid Portuguese immigrants 5:1 Work was brutal Barrier between blacks and everyone else Male slaves over females, hard to marry Cultural and language barriers Overpopulation of blacks led to African influence more than Amerindian

Concerning Freedom... Many had to save money and buy their freedom House slaves considered more likely for manumission Spanish and Portuguese law had manumission (aka freedom for individual slaves) Female slaves got manumission most of the time Colonial courts interfered to: Protect them from abuse Keep couples from being separated

The Church in the Americas Sought to convert every Amerindian Promoted learning through printing press and schools In New Spain, some ‘converted’, but still did old rituals Resulted in trials and tortures for hundreds of Amerindians

Sources http://www.biography.com/people/miguel-corte-real- 20991209 The Earth and Its Peoples: Volume II http://www.biography.com/people/miguel-corte-real- 20991209