Armada" managed to keep the prestige of the emerging colonial empire in the Americas.3
             However, according to historical opinions, a determinant factor for sketching the colonial map in the 16th century was the Treaty of Tordesillas in 14944 by which "Spain and Portugal agreed to accept the award of Pope Alexander VI who had granted all the line in the east of demarcation to Portugal and Spain all the land to the west". 5
             Thus, Alvarez Cabral discovers Brazil, while Spain takes advantage of the papal decision by exploring the American continent.6
             The two colonial powers had similar strategies of exploitation of their territories, through the mechanisms established by each; at the same time however, Portugal proved to be overwhelmed by the difficulties the management of such a vast territory would ha
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