History · 2
Which European nation signed the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, dividing newly discovered lands in the Americas with Spain?
Answer
Portugal
The Treaty of Tordesillas, brokered by Pope Alexander VI, divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands. Lands to the west went to Spain; lands to the east — including Brazil — went to Portugal.
💡 Did you know?
The treaty was negotiated before either country fully knew what lay in the Western Hemisphere — Portugal's share turned out to include Brazil, an enormous windfall they couldn't have anticipated.
Other options people guess
- France
- England
- the Netherlands
Topics
- exploration
- age-of-discovery
- colonialism
- 1490s
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