Compare the voyages of non-European people before 1500 to those of the Portuguese and Spanish from 1400 to 1550.
The non-European people used their knowledge of the heavens and in essence the weather for them to navigate the seas. This was different from the Spanish and the Portuguese, who had maps and navigational equipment for their expeditions.
The size of the fleets used by the non-Europeans was also larger than that of the Spanish and the Portuguese. The Chinese would travel with large ships and many ships in the fleet as compared to the others. Spain and the Portuguese went on an expedition to spread Christianity to the newly discovered areas. This was their major reason for sending out expeditions. The non-Europeans went on expeditions to showcase their wealth or to conquer and rule the new world.
- Why were the Spanish able to establish a territorial empire in the New World?
The Spanish had a larger population and a greater resource base which made it easier for them to build a larger territory than their Portuguese counterparts. Although they used the same kind of weapons and technology, the vast number of Spanish made it easier for them to dominate the Amerindians.
The Amerindian’s reaction towards the Spanish invasion was also slow which made it easier for them to be conquered. The fact that it took them a long time to establish weapons of equal superiority to those of the Spanish. There was also the new disease that attacked them making it easier for them to be dominated.
The Spanish also had superior weapons as compared it the Inca, the Aztecs or the people in the Caribbean. These weapons made it easier for them to defeat their colonies forcing them to surrender and concede to the Spanish rule. These factors made it easier for the Spanish to establish a territorial empire in the new world as compared to their Portuguese counterparts.
- Was technological superiority a major factor in the conquest of the Americas?
The technological superiority of the Spanish in terms of ships and weapons fueled by their desire to explore and gain wealth led to the conquest of the Americas. The superior weapons like guns were used to make the natives fearful hence make it easier for the invasion of the Spanish.