rise and fall of spain
In 1490 there was no such country as Spain, yet within a century it had become the most powerful nation in Europe and within another had sunk to the status of a third-rate power. Describe and analyze the major social, economic, and political reasons for Spain's rise and fall. "In 1490 there was no such country as Spain, yet within a century it had become the most powerful nation in Europe and within another had sunk to the status of a third-rate power." Spain experienced a social, economic, and political golden age during the sixteenth century. However, due to bad planning and decisions, Spain declined as a superior power. The marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille, in 1469, eventually united Spain under one crown and enabled the country to achieve a successful and productive monarchy. This marriage provided the financial means to fund foreign ventures as well as the royal support needed to maintain power overseas. The discovery of new lands was the major factor contributing to Spain's success. In 1492, Christopher Columbus, sailing for Spain, discovered land in the Bahamas, which he named San Salvador and claimed for the Spanish Monarchy. His claims paved the way for future Spanish imperialism.
By the seventeenth century, Spain's economy was bankrupt due to the sharp inflation that occurred as a result of an accumulation of factors. The Spanish government seized all of the riches, including the silver mines, of the extremely wealthy Aztecs and in Peru, the Spaniards utilized the richest silver mines in all of the New World. The formerly strong Spanish economy was badly hurt and major Spanish industries, such as the textile industry, greatly suffered. " Nevertheless, Spain's success ended as a result of carelessness among the monarchy and the nobility. Riches from the New World poured into Spain's port of Seville because Spanish expansion was based on finding and bringing precious metals back to the monarchy. Due to greater demand, prices rose. Inflation completely ruined the Spanish economy. Additionally, precious metals being transported from the Americas often didn't reach Spain, because the unprotected Spanish ships were pillaged by English fleets. Also, Philip had to pay debts to his armies and foreigners, but to pay them he produced more money, making the money worth less. Due to a Spanish influence felt worldwide during the sixteenth century, this period of time has often been considered Spain's "Golden Century. Nevertheless, the irresponsible decisions of King Philip II and the aristocracy had detrimental social, economic, and political effects on the excellence of Spain, causing it to sink to the status of a third-rate power. Spain had led the world market of silver and gold. A larger population demanded greater amounts of food, goods, and services. Other young Spanish explorers came to the Americas and conquered large amounts of land, in the name of Spain. The merge of the Portuguese and Spanish crowns, in 1580, caused an increase in Spanish overseas power due to the fact that Portugal already possessed many colonies in the Americas.
Common topics in this essay:
Philip II,
,
Nevertheless Spain's,
Spain Due,
Isabella Castille,
Armada Spanish,
Spanish Empire,
Ferdinand Magellan,
Spain Additionally,
Spanish Monarchy,
economic political,
spanish economy,
middle class,
social economic,
sixteenth century,
status third-rate,
status third-rate power,
social economic political,
philip ii,
third-rate power,
sunk status third-rate,
spain's success,
king philip ii,
king philip,
europe sunk status,
|
Acceptance Essays
