The main point of Chapter 4 is to show the causes of the rivalries between the European nations between 1500 and 1650. With the realization that the seemingly “New” World possessed many riches, materials, and labor, the European nations entered into what seemed to be a rat race for exploitation of the New World. The economic benefits of the Europeans’ involvement in the New World allowed them to further build up their armed forces and wage costlier war, particularly the Spanish. Classmate David Zamarripa points out the importance of religious influence on Atlantic interactions. While this was a key factor, it was not the only one to set the tone of Atlantic interactions. During this time, European nations recognized the religious authority of the Pope, who played a key role in politics and international relations. It wasn’t until Martin Luther challenged the Catholic Church that some European nations isolated themselves from papal authority. As a result, numerous Protestant factions developed, all missing uniformity. Some religious leaders sought to take advantage of Europe’s religious divide for political gain. Nations would brutally torture and execute any religious dissenters. One example would be the Spanish Inquisition. Under Philip II Spain purged itself of non-Catholics, halted the westward advance of the Ottoman empire, and ultimately bankrupted Spain. In addition to the conquest of material wealth, the European religious divide inspired more religious motivation among competing Europeans. Protestant European nations were determined to liberate Catholic converts in the Americas and convert them to their own religion. Northern European nations even turned to piracy, or hiring privateers to loot Spanish ships. For example, England encouraged privateers to loot the Spanish when at war with Spain, but they quickly became enemies of both sides when there was peace. The relationships and interactions between European powers in this time period demonstrate that colonization was not necessarily at the heart of Atlantic history, at least not at this point in history, but rather commerce and disrupting other nations’ ships in the Atlantic.
Space making practices in the Atlantic were established based on religious divides and commitment to a monarchy based on heredity. The Spanish had begun establishing permanent residence in South America, forcing the rest of Europe to work around them if any benefit was to be had from the area. The text explains how the Dutch were , “most successful when they focused their intervention on commercial and maritime opportunities, not settlement,” and other, “European rivals found themselves in the fringe regions of the Americas.” (Egerton 117)
The posting of the Ninety Five Theses by Martin Luther on October 31, 1517, “shattered the religious unity Western Europe had known for centuries.” (Egerton 120) Spanish dedication to Catholicism influenced the social separation from Protestant and Calvinist Europe despite their continued aspiration of political dominance. Queen Elizabeth adopted Spanish methods of religious colonial intervention when she chose to thwart an Irish Catholic rebellion violently and based on, “religious antagonism,” and “cultural differences.” (Egerton 127) The British were able to quell the uprising with a mass settlement in Ireland with inspiration from, “the Spanish example in the Canaries and the Americas.” (Egerton 127)
Indigenous populations were either forced to assimilate to Colonial customs, or eradicated from the desired space. Native American’s would adopt Spanish Catholicism to an extent, but would keep important elements of their traditional religions. The Protestants saw it as their duty to rescue the indigenous people from Catholic oppression. Developments in the Americas, whether religious or economic, were always fueled by European politics. Atlantic geographic borders and populations that inhabited them during the sixteenth century emerged as powerful European states continued attempts at empire building and economic domination.
The 16th century was a major turning point in the Atlantic World. The desire of the Spanish to have complete control over the “New World”, religion and the trade network/economy of the Atlantic lead to a series of events that eventually created the world we live in today. Their desire for control of all things created many ideas that would change the course of history.
The first part that jumped out to me was the way the Spanish wanted to control all of the “New World.” Their recent war experiences had lead them to understand the vast costs associated with war. They saw the “New World” as a way to fund their global aspirations. Egerton states “With this wealth, the Spanish were able to wage war on a scale not previously imagined” (116). With the funds to properly support their military endeavors, the Spanish felt as though they were able to hire a large enough military force to help them reach all their goals. In response to this rapid growth, the other countries began to come up with methods to slow the growth of the Spanish.
Hunter talks about this in his blog entry. He brings up the way that the sudden rise of the Spanish made other European countries hungry for a piece of the action, if you will. I think this is a great point and is definitely demonstrated through the text. We see efforts from mainly the French, Dutch, and English to establish a presence in North and South America as a way of competing for power with the Spanish. This competition will lead to the settlement of colonies that will create the map that we see today.
Chapter four of The Atlantic World examines the escalating rivalries between the kingdom of Spain and English, French, and Dutch. During this time, Europe was in turmoil. The Reformation, started by Martin Luther as Diana Tran mentioned in her post, created a religious crisis that fractured the Catholic Church between devout Catholics and Protestants. To respond to this exigency, the Spanish monarch, Phillip II through his use of the mass material wealth of his American possessions, tried secure his influence and control in Europe. Phillip II’s repression and intimidation of Protestant Europe along with Bartolome de las Casas’ disastrous account of the Spanish cruelty towards the Native Americans (Egerton 126), mobilized the Protestant English, French, and Dutch to take action against Spain’s detestable conduct. Having an ideal to rally behind is all well and good, but in reality the English, French, and Dutch were looking for an angle to disrupt the Spanish and Portuguese stranglehold over the American and African trade market.
According to the English clergyman Richard Hakluyt, Pope Alexander VI’s decree that Spain had exclusive rights over the American continent carried no weight in the Protestant world (Egerton 130). So other European nations (England, France, and the Netherlands) should be able to seek their own fortunes. Even though Spain warned its adversaries that severe repercussions would happen if they decided to set up a settlement or trading out post on New Spain soil, as the French could attest to, the English, French, and Dutch were determined to claim their own wealth of the Americas. Securing themselves strategic positions to attack Spanish shipping (Egerton 135), the resulting English, French, and Dutch piracy (or known as privateers if they were given a contract to plunder Spanish ships by a monarch or ruling body (Egerton 135)) exploited a weakness that sent shock waves throughout the Spanish kingdom. As a result, these Spanish competitors harassed and robbed the Spanish galleons laden with riches from their colonies. Without his American resources, Phillip II found it difficult to buy influence and carry out his holy war throughout Europe. Hence the effect of the piracy was one of the factors that lead to Spain’s diminished power through the Atlantic.
With Spanish Atlantic power waning, the English, French, and Dutch had an opportunity to capitalize. While the English and French were setting up small trade ports hoping to carve themselves out a small part of the American and African trade market, the Dutch created a system that allowed them to profit off the diminished power of the Spanish and Portuguese. The Dutch East and West India Companies executed a private semi-capitalist model of business that rivaled and overtook the state run concept of the Spanish and Portuguese (Egerton 144). With their shareholders in mind, these Dutch Companies were less interested in land acquisition than creating well-armed trading centers (Egerton 145). Since they were not beholden to the state and had nearly sovereign political power, the Dutch East and West India Companies were able to build an extensive and well-armed shipping fleet (Egerton 144). With the advantage of their ships, the Dutch were able to acquire or takeover the Portuguese trading outposts in Brazil and along the Atlantic coast of Africa which reduced the Portuguese hold on the Atlantic. As a result, by 1650 the Dutch trade networks between Europe, Africa, America, and the Caribbean eclipsed the ones by the Spanish and Portugal (Egerton 146).
Chapter four of The Atlantic World examines the escalating rivalries between the kingdom of Spain and English, French, and Dutch. During this time, Europe was in turmoil. The Reformation, started by Martin Luther as Diana Tran mentioned in her post, created a religious crisis that fractured the Catholic Church between devout Catholics and Protestants. To respond to this exigency, the Spanish monarch, Phillip II through his use of the mass material wealth of his American possessions, tried secure his influence and control in Europe. Phillip II’s repression and intimidation of Protestant Europe along with Bartolome de las Casas’ disastrous account of the Spanish cruelty towards the Native Americans (Egerton 126), mobilized the Protestant English, French, and Dutch to take action against Spain’s detestable conduct. Having an ideal to rally behind is all well and good, but in reality the English, French, and Dutch were looking for an angle to disrupt the Spanish and Portuguese stranglehold over the American and African trade market.
According to the English clergyman Richard Hakluyt, Pope Alexander VI’s decree that Spain had exclusive rights over the American continent carried no weight in the Protestant world (Egerton 130). So other European nations (England, France, and the Netherlands) should be able to seek their own fortunes. Even though Spain warned its adversaries that severe repercussions would happen if they decided to set up a settlement or trading out post on New Spain soil, as the French could attest to, the English, French, and Dutch were determined to claim their own wealth of the Americas. Securing themselves strategic positions to attack Spanish shipping (Egerton 135), the resulting English, French, and Dutch piracy (or known as privateers if they were given a contract to plunder Spanish ships by a monarch or ruling body (Egerton 135)) exploited a weakness that sent shock waves throughout the Spanish kingdom. As a result, these Spanish competitors harassed and robbed the Spanish galleons laden with riches from their colonies. Without his American resources, Phillip II found it difficult to buy influence and carry out his holy war throughout Europe. Hence the effect of the piracy was one of the factors that lead to Spain’s diminished power through the Atlantic.
With Spanish Atlantic power waning, the English, French, and Dutch had an opportunity to capitalize. While the English and French were setting up small trade ports hoping to carve themselves out a small part of the American and African trade market, the Dutch created a system that allowed them to profit off the diminished power of the Spanish and Portuguese. The Dutch East and West India Companies executed a private semi-capitalist model of business that rivaled and overtook the state run concept of the Spanish and Portuguese (Egerton 144). With their shareholders in mind, these Dutch Companies were less interested in land acquisition than creating well-armed trading centers (Egerton 145). Since they were not beholden to the state and had nearly sovereign political power, the Dutch East and West India Companies were able to build an extensive and well-armed shipping fleet (Egerton 144). With the advantage of their ships, the Dutch were able to acquire or takeover the Portuguese trading outposts in Brazil and along the Atlantic coast of Africa which reduced the Portuguese hold on the Atlantic. As a result, by 1650 the Dutch trade networks between Europe, Africa, America, and the Caribbean eclipsed the ones by the Spanish and Portugal (Egerton 146).
Chapter Four of The Atlantic World heavily focuses on culture and religion, and imperialism and commerce of the European nations. European nations have always wanted to expand their sphere of influence beyond their borders and one way to expand their influence is to make sure that their behaviors of imperialism and commerce are in action. Spain was already in action by the 1530s and 1540s by expanding their influence in Mexico by “locat[ing] massive silver deposits in Pachuca, Taxco, Guanajuato, and Zacatecas” (Atlantic World, 115). In order for the Spanish to use their new found treasures at home, they made sure that their ships were protected from any group that wanted to do harm. Kyle Kelsay makes a clear point in regards to groups that want to do harm to the ships of Spain. The reason why some groups want to do harm to other merchants is because of they (in reference to corsairs, a pirate (Atlantic World, 116)) were harmed physically, mentally, or a combination of both and they felt it is only appropriate to do the same actions that those affected had to endure. Once Spain had received their newly acquired treasures, they decided to use it to expand their sphere on the European continent by declaring wars on other nations that eventually failed and left the monarchy bankrupt “multiple times” (Atlantic World, 116). Even though Spain’s imperialistic actions did expand their influence, it did leave then without money.
Culture and religion were also important in expanding on one nation’s sphere of influence, but those that lacked the resources (i.e. money and power) to do it could not. Everybody in Western Europe was Catholic until 1517 when Martin Luther, “an Augustinian friar challenged” the entire religion from the Pope to the practices of the Church. Due to his challenging of the Church, he was able to form a “Religious Revolution” that was able to break down the practices of old and form new factions of the Catholic Religion (Atlantic World, 117 – 122). Because of this “Religious Revolution,” I believe that imperialism and commerce also faced reforms based on how the church was able to reform itself in accessibility, sociability, and openness.
Chapter 4 of The Atlantic World deals primarily with the various feuds that European powers had and how they transferred over to the Atlantic. One of the major subjects that cause this feuding in the Atlantic is religion specifically the various Christian denominations not getting along. Along with the conflict amongst nations, there is a discussion on the difficulties that a number of nations faced while attempting to set up colonies in the Americas. In particular the French and English have a tough time setting up colonies in South America and North America respectively. Another interesting point discussed in the readings is that because of feuding, particularly with Spain, that the French start to encourage privateering or Piracy.
Another interesting, but sad, topic that is brought up is the Atlantic slave trade. The chapter discusses the English foray into African Slavery and how they managed to undermine the Spanish in an effort to gain profits. While this section is related to last week’s readings regarding Slave ships and Guardians, I was unable to locate an argument or post that I could organically discuss here as none talk about the same points that are brought up in my readings. The closest post that I could find that I can reference is a post by Hunter Loya on Sep, 14. In the post, he discusses the relationship between the British sailors and the slaves they transported, and the relationship that the Slaves had amongst themselves.
Chapter 4 of The Atlantic World deals primarily with the various feuds that European powers had and how they transferred over to the Atlantic. One of the major subjects that cause this feuding in the Atlantic is religion specifically the various Christian denominations not getting along. Along with the conflict amongst nations, there is a discussion on the difficulties that a number of nations faced while attempting to set up colonies in the Americas. In particular the French and English have a tough time setting up colonies in South America and North America respectively. Another interesting point discussed in the readings is that because of feuding, particularly with Spain, that the French start to encourage privateering or Piracy.
Another interesting, but sad, topic that is brought up is the Atlantic slave trade. The chapter discusses the English foray into African Slavery and how they managed to undermine the Spanish in an effort to gain profits. While this section is related to last week’s readings regarding Slave ships and Guardians, I was unable to locate an argument or post that I could organically discuss here as none talk about the same points that are brought up in my readings. The closest post that I could find that I can reference is a post by Hunter Loya on Sep, 14. In the post, he discusses the relationship between the British sailors and the slaves they transported, and the relationship that the Slaves had amongst themselves.
In the late 1500s Spain had presented itself as a dominant power in Europe that shaped the way other countries interacted with America. Because of Spain’s efforts to colonize the Americas, other European countries felt it necessary to try and expand their empires as well, if only to try and keep the Spanish from having too much power. As Tram Hua pointed out, the Spanish crown had demanded that one-fifth of the profits were sent to the crown. This “Quinto Real” provided the Spanish rulers a valuable source of capital to use for various different purposes, most importantly being able to fund a war on a scale not previously reached before, (Egerton, 116).
This imperial rivalry between European nations was also impacted by religious motivations. Throughout the chapter the authors go into detail about the various social movements that took place following the excommunication of Martin Luther from the Catholic Church and the creation of Protestantism and Calvinism. The authors state how the Catholic Church’s grasp on the European world was weakened immensely, “These different Protestant sects, each of which called for its own version of reform, shattered the religious unity Western Europe had known for centuries.”(Egerton, 120).
The European world was in a state of major flux, not just in political and religious terms, but economically as well. The rapid colonization that Europe had jumped to allowed some countries economic benefits that would not have been available prior to exploration, (Egerton, 130). Colonization created more opportunity for European countries to diversify their trade, giving them more options; more people to trade with and more places to settle. In addition to that, colonies provided a hope for opportunity to those who had none in mainland Europe.
Europe’s rapid colonization of the Western Hemisphere brought upon more dynamic and layered problems to the countries who had begun exploring. Through these we begin to see the various new environments that people were introduced to and how they reacted and dealt with new problems in the beginning of a new global period.