| Economic Empire- Spain's Silver Standard |
Figure 2-4 Silver: (left) An important discovery for
Spanish conquerors were veins of silver in Mesoamerica and the Andes.
Conquerors expanded the customs of Inca and Aztec labor drafts to force
Indians to work in mines, often in brutal conditions. (Right) By the
middle of the sixteenth century, a vibrant trade developed between the
Americas and Asia, carrying silver, dyes, and foodstuffs. The conquest
of the Americas helped give Europeans trade goods for sale in Asian
markets. This image shows a fleet of Spanish galleons on the Pacific
coast of Mexico as they are being loaded with the silver extracted from
the mines. (Tignor. 104) |
| Imperialism is dependent upon a strong economy
from which to expansion can be made possible. Conquest in the Americas opened the floodgates for new revenue
coming into the Europe. Spain received large amounts of crops from the Americas which they
then introduced in the European markets. The revenue for these crops increased
because Spain was the only
supplier for crops that were native only to the Americas. Among crops and other
imports, the most important asset from the New World was the new incoming large
quantities of silver from the silver mines in South
America. Spain received
such an influx of silver that it affected the entire European economy, as well
as trade with India and China.
In short, Spain
profited by exploiting the natives’ land and labor in the name of religion and
civility. |
| "Increased Economic integration and
cultural efflorescence were not unrelated. Technological and social innovations
produced surpluses, which were, in turn, traded internationally to further intensify
development." (Abu-Lughod. 98) |
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