Silver Dbq Analysis

Even though the economic effects of silver trading from the mid-1500s to the early 1700s seem to perceived in a similar fashion to different countries, such as Spain and Portugal viewing the silver as beneficial, the effects socially are more biased because of the source’s point of view. Documents 4 and 5 show that silver was the preferred means of pay taxes or for other everyday items even though the sources were from different points-of-views, however; documents 2 and 7 prove that the Spanish and the Chinese have different views on their own effects on their countries. The documents, which are in terms of economy, prove to be impartial such as document 4. In this document it involves an outsider’s view from Britain who is discussing the Portuguese’s …show more content…
Through the Ming Dynasty’s eyes, they believe that the greed involved in the silver is corrupting their lives. All of the documents that are viewed as Chinese sociality are from the Ming officials. In document 1, the Ming official is arguing that if you become too rooted in silver, you develop an inevitable yearning for the silver and you need more. He is trying to regulate the amount of silver the average man will get because they will be devoured by yearning. In document 3, which is also by a Ming official, he reports that the reputable elders are blaming the government for the lack of grain. This document is a little less opinion based than document 1 because it shows fair representation of the people to the emperor. The final Ming official document (doc 7), is saying that Ming China should allow foreign trade because the Spanish are making a profit selling Chinese products in the Philippines. His petition shows us that China would rather have money than the country’s pride. For the Spanish, document 2 is from a scholar. This scholar is complaining about the government’s excessive spending. He is saying that the government is spending too much silver for the Asian goods; in fact, spending so much that it is ruining Spain. Lastly, document 8 is from an English scholar. This scholar is allegorically in the same boat as the Spaniard scholar. He is announcing that Europe has become too focused on the Asian commodities as well. His specific argument is that they are giving away money for small, insignificant materials that will be of no use to Europe in the long term. Also, he states that the money that the government is putting into this indulgence will never be returned to Europe. This would cause Europe to be in peril. An additional document that would best suit this is a written diary of an American traveler. Since he is from the