Merriman Teacher Notes 10 Summer 2023: Spanish Economy
Document Details
Uploaded by MarvelousCynicalRealism2045
2023
Merriman
Tags
Summary
These notes cover the Spanish economy during the 16th-18th centuries, discussing income from colonies, the northern Spanish coast, Spanish nobles, and the expansion of the Spanish Empire. The document emphasizes the role of silver from the Americas and the development of a centralized bureaucracy. It also touches on demographic and economic expansions and contrasts them with those of England.
Full Transcript
# The Spanish Economy ## Income from colonies ~10% crown - Mexican gold financed four other conquests. - 1545 silver @ Potosi mines. - 1540 more silver in Mexico. - New refining process tripled silver. - Resources of Zurupe - Mules carried silver from Potosi - To port (15 day journey 12,000 ft ele...
# The Spanish Economy ## Income from colonies ~10% crown - Mexican gold financed four other conquests. - 1545 silver @ Potosi mines. - 1540 more silver in Mexico. - New refining process tripled silver. - Resources of Zurupe - Mules carried silver from Potosi - To port (15 day journey 12,000 ft elevation) - Sea voyage of several months - Paid for African slaves ## Northern Spanish Coast (Catalonian) - Farmers + Fishermen - Andalusia & Granada (south) produced wheat, olives, wine - Terraced hillsides - Planted grape vines, olive trees - Planted them as demand for textiles - Towns built irrigation & processing facilities (wine, olive press, etc) ## Spanish Nobles - Okay with involvement in trade until seen as beneficial in the 18th century. ## 1520 August Royal forces burned arsenal + town of Medina del Campo. - Charles decided to change tactics - Suspended supplementary tax - No more foreign collections agreed, no more strife. - But rebellion continued until army brutally restored order. - 1554 Charles married son Philip II to Mary Tudor. - 1556 Charles abdicated throne, and the kingdom was split between his son Philip II (Spain, colonies, Netherlands) + brother Ferdinand of Astia (HRE). ## The Expansion of the Spanish Empire - Philip II developed a centralized bureaucracy: - Royal council, etc. - Council of state - Council of War - Royal secretaries (many were commoners) - Council of Indies - Administration oversaw colonial administration - Worked out local rules in colonies (distancias) - Some collaboration with Native rulers/leaders. ## Demographic and Economic Expansion - By the 1500s, the population of England and Wales grew to 3.5 million by 1590. It grew to 4.5 million in 1610. - Farming, new crops, earlier marriage resulted in more children. Less frequent plagues & epidemics helped the population grow - Migrants from rural areas grew, sanitation was terrible. - Mid-London became the largest city with 375,000 inhabitants in 1650 (behind Tokyo). ## Spanish economy: - Mountains and plateaus of hostile terrain - Export economy of silver, lead, iron, and wool. - Couldn't be irrigated easily. - Brought wine, oil, European grain, shoes, and clothing (polonia) ## Spanish nobles: - Okay with involvement in trade until seen as beneficial in the 18th C. - Towns built irrigation & processing facilities (wine, olive press, etc) - 1520 August royal forces burned arsenal + town of Medina del Campo. - Charles decided to change tactics - Suspended supplementary tax - No more foreign collections agreed, no more strife. - But rebellion continued until army brutally restored order. - 1554 Charles married son Philip II to Mary Tudor. - 1556 Charles abdicated throne, and the kingdom was split between his son Philip II (Spain, colonies, Netherlands) + brother Ferdinand of Astia (HRE). ## The Expansion of the Spanish Empire - Philip II developed a centralized bureaucracy: - Royal council, etc. - Council of state - Council of War - Royal secretaries (many were commoners) - Council of Indies - Administration oversaw colonial administration - Worked out local rules in colonies (distancias) - Some collaboration with Native rulers/leaders. ## Demographic and Economic Expansion - By the 1500s, the population of England and Wales grew to 3.5 million by 1590. It grew to 4.5 million in 1610. - Farming, new crops, earlier marriage resulted in more children. Less frequent plagues & epidemics helped the population grow - Migrants from rural areas grew, sanitation was terrible. - Mid-London became the largest city with 375,000 inhabitants in 1650 (behind Tokyo). ## Spanish economy: - Mountains and plateaus of hostile terrain - Export economy of silver, lead, iron, and wool. - Couldn't be irrigated easily. - Brought wine, oil, European grain, shoes, and clothing (polonia)
