1. PROTECTION OF SPANISH MONOPOLY
GUARDA COSTAS
FORTS
CONVOY SYSTEM
SQUADRONS
HOUSE OF TRADE
SPANISH ARMADA

2. OBJECTIVES At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
Define the terms monopoly, mercantilism, asiento
Outline the strategies Spain used to protect her monopoly of the New World such as:
The Spanish Armada, Convoy System, Forts, Squadron
Comment on the effectiveness of these strategies in protecting Spanish monopoly
Comment on the role of the defeat of the Armada in undermining Spanish rule
Listen and participate in class discussion

3. PROTECTION OF SPANISH MONOPOLY
Spain used a number of methods to protect her monopoly in the New World. These included:
The Treaty of Tordesillas
Forts
Guarda Costas
The Convoy System
Spanish Armada/Armadilla

4. TREATY OF TORDESILLAS (1494)
This was signed between Spain and Portugal in 1494 after Spain appealed to Pope Alexander VI to settle claims to land
The Pope then decided to divide the newly discovered lands in the New World and those already settled by the Portuguese in the East between the two nations
As a result of the line of demarcation, Brazil was given to the Portuguese and is today, the only Portuguese speaking nation in South America
By using the Treaty of Tordesillas, Spain was making it known to other European countries that the New World was hers!!!!

5. TREATY OF TORDESILLAS (1494)

6. HOUSE OF TRADE/CASA DE CONTRATACION
Established in Seville Spain
Controlled all trade in the New World
Issued license called ASIENTO to anyone who wished to trade with the colonies in the New World
Trade was governed by the economic principle of MERCANTILISM-that colonies existed for the sole benefit of the mother country and should only trade with the mother country
Rules stipulated that ships carrying goods to the colonies were to depart from Seville in Spain and were to complete their journey at Seville.

7. FORTS A fort was an extensive wall built around a city for protection
They had watch towers and cannons placed at strategic positions
The picture on the right is of Fort San Cristobal in Puerto Rico
Others were in Cuba and Hispaniola

8. FORTS CONT’D

9. SQUADRON
Warships used to patrol the seas regularly as well as the shipping lanes in the Caribbean
Their role was to stop trespassers and prevent any disruption of trade

10. GUARDA COSTAS
These were gunships that patrolled the seas to ward off attacks from pirates
These ships were usually fast and light and could easily catch up with pirate ships
They were heavily armed and could defend the treasure on the larger ships

11. GUARDA COSTAS

12. THE CONVOY SYSTEM
Adopted in about 1566 by the Spanish under the control of Pedro Menendez de Aviles
He an experienced admiral and personal adviser of King Phillip II
The implementation of the Convoy System was in response to the sacking of Havana by French privateers
It was a fleet of war ships which flanked the treasure ships to protect them from attacks by pirates

13. THE CONVOY SYSTEM

14. THE SPANISH TREASURE SHIPS
Each year two sets of ships left the New World with treasure for Spain
The Flota left in April making a three-week journey to Havana from Veracruz, Mexico every spring. Here the ships underwent repairs and took on cargoes of tobacco and sugar before setting sail for Spain.
The Galleon left in August and arrived in Spain in about October
The ships were laden with treasures and were very attractive to pirates

15. SPANISH ARMADA
This was the Spanish Navy responsible for warding off attacks by pirates on the Spanish treasure ships
When the ARMADA was at war, other smaller ships were dispatched to protect the treasure ships in the colonies, sometimes called ARMADILLA
see handout on the battle of 1588

16. DEFEAT OF THE SPANISH ARMADA (1588)