The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were years of growth for the great empires of Europe. Two of these empires, the Portuguese and the Spanish, looked to expand their territories and power while seeking land not only throughout Europe, but also across the Atlantic in the Americas. Both empires commenced their expansions by sending conquistadors to discover and colonize land in the New World. Once they arrived, both the Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors, with the help of the native people, began to build colonies, modeling them after their respective homelands. The Spanish and Portuguese empires in the Americas had both similarities and differences in their governing system, social structure, religious influence, and economic strategies.
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“In 1512 the Spanish established the Encomienda system, which was to control and regulate the American Indian labor. Encomendores and conquistadors would receive a number of Indians, from whom they could sell for gold or labor”(gilderlehrman). This system did not work adequately because the encomendores took advantage of the Indians and would take their lands, instead of protecting them and converting them. “In 1518 King Charles allowed direct imports from Africa and by nearly the end of the 16th century 75,000-90,000 enslaved Africans were in Spanish …show more content…
“The moral justification for Spanish and Portuguese occupation of the new world rested on their commitment to convert the natives to Roman Catholicism”(book). The Spanish Inquisition was called into play by Ferdinand II and Queen Isaeblla I in 1478. This particular inquisition was one that was under royal authority, the clergy. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella would tell the clergy to travel to different locations and convert the natives to Catholicism. They mostly attempted to convert the large groups like Judaism and Islam, that still dwelled in Spain. The Portuguese Inquisition differed from the Spanish Inquisition by being more structured and organized. “The Portuguese Inquisition started in 1536 at the request of Joao III, the king of Portugal”(bibliotecapleyades). Several Jews had left Spain to go to Portugal in hopes of not having to convert to Catholicsim; but they were later targeted. “The Sephardic Jews were the major targets of the Portuguese Inquisition”(bibliotecapleyades). “The Portuguese Inquistion was under the King, a Grand Inquisitor stood at the head, who was named by the Pope and chosen by the Crown, who was always from the royal family. The first Grand Inquisitor was Cardinal Henry”(bibliotecapleyades). Missionaries played a big impact during this era. Missionaries had to adapt and in order to communicate, they had to learn multiple languages, such as Nahuatl. Becoming
“In 1512 the Spanish established the Encomienda system, which was to control and regulate the American Indian labor. Encomendores and conquistadors would receive a number of Indians, from whom they could sell for gold or labor”(gilderlehrman). This system did not work adequately because the encomendores took advantage of the Indians and would take their lands, instead of protecting them and converting them. “In 1518 King Charles allowed direct imports from Africa and by nearly the end of the 16th century 75,000-90,000 enslaved Africans were in Spanish …show more content…
“The moral justification for Spanish and Portuguese occupation of the new world rested on their commitment to convert the natives to Roman Catholicism”(book). The Spanish Inquisition was called into play by Ferdinand II and Queen Isaeblla I in 1478. This particular inquisition was one that was under royal authority, the clergy. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella would tell the clergy to travel to different locations and convert the natives to Catholicism. They mostly attempted to convert the large groups like Judaism and Islam, that still dwelled in Spain. The Portuguese Inquisition differed from the Spanish Inquisition by being more structured and organized. “The Portuguese Inquisition started in 1536 at the request of Joao III, the king of Portugal”(bibliotecapleyades). Several Jews had left Spain to go to Portugal in hopes of not having to convert to Catholicsim; but they were later targeted. “The Sephardic Jews were the major targets of the Portuguese Inquisition”(bibliotecapleyades). “The Portuguese Inquistion was under the King, a Grand Inquisitor stood at the head, who was named by the Pope and chosen by the Crown, who was always from the royal family. The first Grand Inquisitor was Cardinal Henry”(bibliotecapleyades). Missionaries played a big impact during this era. Missionaries had to adapt and in order to communicate, they had to learn multiple languages, such as Nahuatl. Becoming