Organización Colonial

EnFoco
21 Jun 201905:42
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThe script discusses the Spanish colonization of the Americas following the conquest, highlighting the establishment of institutions like the Casa de Contratación and the Real y Supremo Consejo de Indias to manage colonial affairs. It describes the appointment of virreyes to oversee the political and economic organization of territories like the Virreinato de Nueva España and el Perú. The challenges of long distances and communication are noted, along with the Spanish strategies to consolidate power, populate the continent, and extract its wealth through monopolistic trade systems. The impact of these practices on the local populations and the rise of cities like Potosí, fueled by the silver mining industry, are also touched upon.

Takeaways
  • 👣 The Spanish Crown established two institutions to manage colonial affairs: the Casa de Contratación for trade organization and tax collection, and the Real y Supremo Consejo de Indias for justice and administration.
  • 👑 Initially, the conquistadors were given significant power, but the Crown later reduced their authority and appointed governors directly to control the colonies.
  • 🏛 The Spanish Crown divided the territory into two major viceroyalties: the Viceroyalty of New Spain and the Viceroyalty of Peru, each governed by a viceroy representing the king.
  • ⏳ Distances between Spain and the Americas were vast, causing decisions from Spain to take a long time to reach and sometimes be respectfully disobeyed by colonial authorities.
  • 🧐 The Crown implemented mechanisms to ensure proper governance in the colonies, including a review process for officials leaving their posts and in-service inspections by supervisors.
  • 🌍 To consolidate power, the Spanish Crown aimed to populate the New World, establishing settlements not only in wealthy areas but also in less prosperous ones to ensure good communication across the empire.
  • 💰 The Spanish established a monopoly system where all trade and commerce from the colonies went exclusively through Spain, allowing them to control tax revenue and product prices.
  • 🛍️ Twice a year, a fleet of merchant ships protected by warships transported goods between the continents, avoiding pirate attacks and facilitating trade.
  • 💸 The monopoly and long transportation routes led to higher prices for goods in the colonies, causing discontent among American residents.
  • ⛏ The most important economic activities for the Spanish in the colonies were trade and mining, with the silver mine in Potosí being the largest on the continent.
  • 🏗️ The wealth from Potosí allowed the growth of surrounding territories' economies, and by the early 18th century, Potosí's consumption was largely sourced from the internal American market.
Q & A

  • What were the two institutions created by Spain to manage its colonial affairs after the conquest of the Americas?

    -The two institutions were the Casa de Contratación, which was responsible for organizing trade and collecting taxes, and the Real y Supremo Consejo de Indias, which oversaw justice and colonial administration, including the appointment of officials in the Americas.

  • How did the Spanish Crown initially distribute power among the conquered territories in the Americas?

    -Initially, power was given to the conquistadors who were appointed as adelantados. However, as the Crown realized the wealth in these lands, it gradually reduced the powers of the conquistadors and appointed governors directly by the king.

  • What was the role of a viceroy in the Spanish colonial administration?

    -A viceroy was the representative of the king in America, responsible for the political and economic organization of their respective region or viceroyalty.

  • Why did the Spanish Crown implement the visita system?

    -The visita system was implemented to ensure that things were being done correctly in the colonies. It involved a supervisor, known as a visitor, who would inspect the official while they were still in their position and prepare a secret report detailing the situation in the colonies.

  • How did the Spanish Crown ensure a good communication network throughout its empire?

    -The Crown ensured a good communication network by populating not only the most prosperous areas but also less prosperous places that were important for maintaining communication across the empire.

  • What was the significance of the establishment of a monopoly system for trade by the Spanish in the Americas?

    -The monopoly system allowed all commerce to flow exclusively between Spain and its colonies. This gave the Spanish control over tax collection from precious metals and the ability to set the prices of products sent to the colonies, which led to discontent among the American residents due to the overpricing of some products.

  • How did the Spanish Crown's monopoly system affect the residents of the American colonies?

    -The residents of the American colonies were affected by the monopoly system as they had to pay a premium for certain products, which generated dissatisfaction and unrest.

  • What was the purpose of the twice-yearly flota of ships between Spain and the Americas?

    -The purpose of the flota was to transport goods between the two continents. It consisted of merchant ships protected by galleons, large warships, to avoid pirate attacks, ensuring the safe passage of valuable goods.

  • How did the city of Potosi in the Spanish colonies contribute to the wealth of the surrounding territories?

    -The city of Potosi was home to the largest silver mine on the continent, which transformed it into one of the richest and most populated cities. Its wealth significantly contributed to the growth of the economies of the surrounding territories.

  • What was the economic impact of Potosi on the internal market in the early 18th century?

    -By the early 18th century, everything consumed in Potosi came from the internal market, which meant goods were sourced from various American regions. This was beneficial as it promoted regional economic growth and self-sufficiency.

  • What were the two most important economic activities developed by the Spanish in the colonies?

    -The two most important economic activities developed by the Spanish in the colonies were commerce and mining, with the silver mine in Potosi being a significant contributor to the wealth of the Spanish empire.

Outlines
00:00
🏝️ Preparación para Vacaciones y Organización Colonial Española

Este primer párrafo aborda la preparación emocional para unas vacaciones en el Nuevo Mundo, seguido de una descripción de cómo la Corona Española organizó y administró su vasto territorio en América después de la Conquista. Se mencionan instituciones clave como la Casa de Contratación y el Real y Supremo Consejo de Indias, que se encargaban de aspectos como el comercio, la recaudación de impuestos, la justicia y la administración. La narrativa también refleja la evolución de la estructura de poder, desde los conquistadores a los gobernadores nombrados por el rey. Además, se describe la división del territorio en dos grandes virreinatos y la importancia de la comunicación y la población del nuevo continente para consolidar el poder colonial. Finalmente, se toca el tema de la extracción de riquezas y el establecimiento de un sistema monopólico de comercio que generaba malestar entre los habitantes americanos.

05:01
💰 La Riqueza de Potosi y su Impacto Económico

El segundo párrafo se enfoca en la riqueza que la ciudad de Potosi generó debido a la existencia de una de las mayores minas de plata del continente. Esto transformó a Potosi en una de las ciudades más ricas y pobladas de la época y desencadenó un crecimiento económico significativo en los territorios circundantes. A principios del siglo XVIII, la mayoría de los bienes consumidos en Potosi eran de origen interno, provenientes de diferentes regiones americanas, lo que refleja una economía colonial próspera y autosuficiente.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡New World
The term 'New World' refers to the Americas, specifically used in a historical context to describe the continents discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. In the video's narrative, the New World represents the territories that were colonized by Spain, marking the beginning of a new era of exploration, conquest, and cultural exchange.
💡Spanish Crown
The 'Spanish Crown' denotes the royal authority of Spain during the time of the Spanish colonization of the Americas. It symbolizes the centralized power that organized and controlled the vast colonial territories. The video mentions that while the king held all power, he did not directly manage colonial affairs, instead delegating this responsibility to specific institutions.
💡Casa de Contratación
The 'Casa de Contratación' was an institution established by the Spanish Crown to oversee the organization of trade with the colonies. It was responsible for tax collection and customs control. In the context of the video, it highlights the Spanish Crown's efforts to manage and profit from the commercial activities in the New World.
💡Real y Supremo Consejo de Indias
The 'Real y Supremo Consejo de Indias' or the 'Royal and Supreme Council of the Indies' was another key institution that dealt with colonial justice and administration. It was tasked with law-making and advising the king on candidates for positions of power in the Americas. The video emphasizes its role in consolidating Spanish control over the colonies.
💡Virreinato
A 'Virreinato' refers to a viceroyalty, which was a high administrative territorial entity in the Spanish colonial period. Each viceroyalty was governed by a 'virrey' or viceroy, who represented the king in the Americas. The video mentions the division of the New World into two major viceroyalties: Nueva España (New Spain) and el Perú (Peru).
💡Conquistadores
The 'conquistadores' were the Spanish conquistadors or conquerors who initially claimed vast powers in the New World. The video explains that the Spanish Crown gradually reduced their authority as it became aware of the wealth in the New World, replacing them with governors appointed by the king.
💡Monopoly System
The 'monopoly system' established by the Spanish in the New World refers to the exclusive control over trade where all commerce in and out of the colonies was directed solely through Spain. This system is highlighted in the video as a means for the Spanish to control taxation and the pricing of goods, leading to discontent among the American residents due to the inflated prices they had to pay.
💡Fleets
The 'fleets' mentioned in the video refer to the convoys of ships that transported goods between Spain and the Americas. These fleets were crucial for maintaining trade links and were protected by warships to fend off pirate attacks. The video describes the logistics of these fleets, which facilitated the movement of goods across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
💡Mining
Mining was one of the most important economic activities for the Spanish in the colonies. The video specifically mentions the silver mine in the city of Potosi, which was the largest on the continent and transformed the city into one of the wealthiest and most populated areas. The mining industry was a significant driver of the colonial economy and contributed to the growth of surrounding territories.
💡Internal Market
The 'internal market' in the context of the video refers to the economic system where goods and services were traded within the American regions themselves. By the early 18th century, the video notes that everything consumed in Potosi came from this internal market, indicating a shift towards a more self-sufficient and regionally integrated economy.
💡Colonial Administration
Colonial administration pertains to the governance and management of the colonies by the Spanish authorities. The video discusses how the Spanish Crown implemented various mechanisms, such as the 'visita' or inspection, to ensure that officials in the colonies were performing their duties properly. This was part of the broader effort to consolidate power and maintain control over the vast colonial territories.
Highlights

The Spanish crown had to organize the vast territory after the conquest of the Americas.

Two institutions were created for colonial affairs: the Casa de Contratación and the Real y Supremo Consejo de Indias.

The Casa de Contratación was responsible for organizing trade and collecting taxes, while controlling the customs.

The Real y Supremo Consejo de Indias handled justice and colonial administration, advising the king on candidates for power in the Americas.

Initially, conquistadors held significant power, but the crown gradually reduced their authority as the wealth of the lands became apparent.

The territory was divided into two major viceroyalties: New Spain and Peru, each governed by a viceroy representing the king.

Distances between continents were vast, causing decisions from Spain to take a long time to reach the Americas.

Spanish authorities in the Americas often respectfully disobeyed the king's orders due to the long communication times.

The crown implemented mechanisms to ensure proper conduct in the colonies, including a review upon leaving office and ongoing inspections.

Visitors would create a secret report detailing the situation in the colonies to consolidate the crown's power.

The crown needed to populate the new continent, sending settlers not only to prosperous areas but also to less prosperous ones for good communication.

Spanish interests included extracting riches from the American continent, leading to the establishment of a monopoly system for trade.

The monopoly system allowed the Spanish to control tax collection and the price of precious metals, causing discontent among American residents due to overpricing.

Twice a year, a fleet of ships facilitated the exchange of goods between the continents, protected from pirate attacks by warships.

The city of Potosí had the largest silver mine on the continent, transforming it into one of the richest and most populated cities.

The wealth of Potosí allowed the economies of surrounding territories to grow significantly by the early 18th century.

By the early 18th century, almost everything consumed in Potosí came from the internal American market.

Transcripts

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Related Tags
Spanish ColonizationTrade MonopolyGovernance StructureAmerican TerritoriesConquistadorsRoyal CouncilViceroy SystemColonial AdministrationSilver MiningPotosí RichesImperial CommunicationHistorical Economics