Division of the World

The Line of Demarcation It gave Spain possession of all lands already “discovered and to be discovered” west of Europe.

Why was the Line Drawn? To prevent disputes between Spain and Portugal over lands that have been discovered.

What happened after the line was drawn? King John of Portugal threatened war against Spain. He claimed that the Spanish monarchs had been given much to great an advantage. In 1494, diplomats from the two countries met at Tordesillas. They agreed to move the Line of Demarcation farther west. The Treaty of Tordesillas allowed Spain and Portugal to divide the entire non-Christian world between themselves. Portugal gain claim to Brazil – Spain the rest of the Americas.

Age of Discovery Spanish Explorers

Christopher Columbus

Amerigo Vespucci

Amerigo Vespucci The Florentine Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512) went on a voyage with Alonso de Ojeda to the mainland of South America in 1499 but then explored in a separate party. In 1501-02, he explored part of Brazil for Portugal, and wrote such lively letters to his Florentine patrons, Giovanni and Lorenzo de Medici, that they had his account published and widely circulated. A German geographer, Martin Waldseemnller, honored Vespucci and his spurious claim to have first traveled to Brazil in 1497 by naming that area of a new map "America." The name stuck, and was eventually applied to all of the continent.

Ponce De Leon

Nunez de Balboa Balboa claims dominion over the South Seas. Balboa claims dominion over the South Seas. In 1510, Francisco Núñez de Balboa (1475-1519) established a settlement at Darien in present-day Panama. He led an expedition to the west coast of the isthmus and became the first European to look out on what he called "the south seas." When he saw the new body of water, Balboa exclaimed, "¡Qué pacífico!" ("how calm!"), thus naming it and claiming it for Spain. Unhappily, his jealous father-in-law, Pedrarias Dávila, later had Balboa tried for treason and beheaded.

Hernando De Soto

Francisco de Coronado

Age of Discovery Spanish Explorers

Hernando Cortez

Francisco Pizarro

Bartholome de Las Casas Bartolomé de Las Casas (1484-1566). After hearing Montesinos's sermon against the bad treatment of the Indians, Bartolomé de Las Casas renounced (gave up) the encomienda which he had owned. He joined the Dominican order, and devoted the rest of his life to protecting the Indians. In 1540 he debated Juan Gines de Sepulveda before the Spanish King Charles V. Gines de Sepulveda was a famous believer in the principles of Aristotle. Their debate was on the question of whether or not Indians were human. After that, King Charles issued the New Laws of 1542. They forbade forced labor, slavery, and new encomiendas. Following Las Casas' own suggestion, the Crown did permit black slavery.

Age of Discovery Spanish Explorers