Warning: Undefined variable $num in /home/shroutdo/public_html/courses/wp-content/plugins/single-categories/single_categories.php on line 126
Warning: Undefined variable $posts_num in /home/shroutdo/public_html/courses/wp-content/plugins/single-categories/single_categories.php on line 127
“Sugar Islands” by Alberto Vierira is a very detailed account of the Madeira and Canary Island sugar trade. Spanish and Portuguese enterprises made use of these islands because sugarcane was considered an exotic ingredient in Europe. It proved to be such a valuable commodity, it actually created an economic network that civilized the Canary and Madeira Islands as well as the rest of Europe. According to Vierira, it led to “the creation of other jobs on the islands like shoemakers, barbers, carpenters and merchants (Vierira, 45).” From this, it looks like sugar is the vehicle of growth on this islands because all of Europe as well as the Middle East use it in order to sweeten their drinks because before that, all they could use is honey as their natural and only sweetener. Sugar Cane proved to be so important and profitable on the Canary and Madeira islands, the Crown even issued land distribution to those based on output. According to Vierira, an observer named Gaspar Frutuoso documented “how a mill owned by Jacome de Monteverde produced an estimated 7,000-8,000 arrobas of sugar from January to July(Vierira, 47).” This was in part of the warm climate on the islands. Sugar`s integration in Mediterranean markets sparked growth in investments and trade. Pretty soon, sugar ignited global competition as the European powers wanted to get their hands on this gold rush of the Atlantic.
I agree with Erin’s response “Sugar Commerce in Atlantic Spaces” because this excerpt actually does remind me of Grove’s Green Imperialism with the environment playing a huge factor in colonization. I also agree with the fact enterprises like sugar cane were determined by geographical factors like weather, water sources and soil fertility. If it made food and drinks taste better, then it is fair to say a sugar rush built the Atlantic World.