2014 Maritime Trade in Southeast Asia During the Early Colonial Period. Other cargo included relatively small quantities of cacao, cochineal dye, wine, and olive oil. 8. The growing Indio population encouraged other natives to stay as well, leading to the establishment of a mixed-race people with Oriental heritage in Mexican colonial society (Aguilar 2012:367). Encyclopedia.com. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). As one Filipino seaman argued, Were a seafaring peoplebut during the galleon times, that is when we proved ourselves as seamen (Aguilar 2012:365). Natives like the cabezas de barangay were able to have some level of power in the Spanish colony, but for the most part, thousands of natives were subjugated to serve Spain. Even if there was food and water, they could be spoiled or be of poor quality (Prez-Mallana 1998: 143-145). One can only speculate why. Nations of the world can dispose of goods which they have in surplus in the international markets. This feat was rarely achieved, however, and many ended their journeys wrecked in fierce typhoonsas many as forty-four are known to have been lostor by making the return (arribada) to Manila. Almost all Spanish galleons operating in the Pacific were built in the Philippines, a requirement enforced by law from 1679, and they were funded and owned by the Spanish Crown. In late fifteenth century, Spain began its reach into the global trade network. Galleons could present a formidable array of up to 60 cannons below and above deck, and they carried large crescent blades fixed to the yardarms which were designed to cut the sails and rigging of any ship that dared get alongside. The decision to establish a Spanish trading base in Manila was due to a number of favorable factors, including the existing trade network in Asia, the cheap labor provided by the natives, and the numerous resources that supported the Manila Galleon trade. Johanna Hecht The galleon trade in Manila caused Chinese merchants to migrate to the Philippines and for the Filipinos and to have huge profits. This paper presents a brief recount of the Manila Galleon sites investigated to date. Most importantly, Manila was already a developed port and trade center in the region (Peterson 2014:58). Foreign trade makes it possible to effect transfer of payments from debtor country to creditor country. There have been more recent works from historians and archaeologists that reveal the complexities of the Manila Galleon Trade, including from Peterson in his dissertation called Making the First Global Trade Route: The Southeast Asian Foundations of the Acapulco-Manila Galleon Trade, 1519-1650, and Arturo Girldez with his book The Age of Trade (Peterson 2014; Girldez 2015). The Manila Galleon Trade: Events, effects, lessons, ***Not available for delivery outside of the Philippines. ." In 1572, the conquest of Manila led to an increase in Spains foothold in the Philippines. One Manila galleon could require up to 2,000 oak trees, which was equivalent to approximately 50 acres of woodland (Peterson 2014:210). On its return voyage, the vessel brought back huge quantities of Mexican silver and church personnel bearing communications from Spain. For example, 1 oz of gold bought 11 oz of silver in Amsterdam while the same silver in China could be re-exchanged for 2 oz of gold. In The Age of Trade, Girldez discusses the origin and development of the global economy during the Manila Galleon trade, but also focuses on the Philippines role in the global economy (Girldez 2015). The Spanish greatly exploited the natives skills and knowledge for their gain. In other words, Spain simply did not have enough resources to further develop their trade network. Theme presented at the 3rd Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage, Hong Kong. From a broad economic point of view, the Philippines through the era of the galleon trade became part of what has been called the first-world economy of modern times, namely, that based on Seville and the Atlantic. . After the thirteenth century, porcelain and silk became major trade goods as the Chinese produced and exported them in large quantities for cheap prices, which led to competition among indigenous populations (Min 2014:46). In 1571, after gaining control of the Malay trading center of Manila for Spain, Miguel Lpez De Legazpi sent two ships back to Mexico laden with Chinese silks and porcelains, to be exchanged for needed provisions. The native sailor was a real sailor. Their expeditions could last up to three months, where they worked for long hours, had little time to rest or eat, had little shelter, and were exposed to the sun and the wind (Peterson 2014:203). For about 300 years, the Manila Galleon trade route operated and carried valuable goods across the Pacific. Spain realized the advantages of the manpower and resources that the Philippines could contribute to support their empire. These goods were used to provide for Spanish communities (Girldez 2015:80). While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Advertisement. However, they first needed a base in Asia to get access to the trade. In addition, the Dutch supported the Muslims, or Moro, in southern Philippines, to attack the Spanish. A voyage to the Pacific from Mexico was much more manageable than one from Europe (Peterson 2014:58). Bigger than the British, French, and Dutch East India Companies trade with Europe, it thrived for almost two and a half centuries. World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. The galleon (Spanish: galen, French: galion) was a type of sailing ship used for both cargo carrying and as a warship. The Manila galleons, meanwhile, returned to the Philippines each year loaded with silver to buy more goods for the next trip. First, she wants to improve her country's balance of trade by reducing imports. In the nineteenth century, some were employed as mercenaries in the southern China coast to defend the port of Shanghai and deal with rebellions (Aguilar 2012:374-377). Advantages of the Galleon Trade Link between the Philippines and America. The trade was very profitable, and it made the Spaniards very rich. #2. the rise of the intelligentsia. Despite losing four ships, many men, and Magellan himself, the Spanish sent even more explorers to the Pacific region afterwards to exploit the goods there (Pigafetta 1969). Tobacco was the first American product to conquer Europe. The subjugated natives in the Philippines were building the Spanish empire with all that they had: their bodies, resources, food, and money.In his dissertation Andrew Peterson argues, the galleon trade was built upon the toils of indigenous laborers and natural resources of the Philippine archipelago (Peterson 2014:1). Pieces of Eight from the WhydahTheodore Scott (CC BY). (Giraldez, 119), Not for nothing then did Spanish galleons have the letters AMGP painted on their sails. In Asia, there was a trans-Pacific trade network between China, Japan, the Philippines and Southeast Asia. two-century old Manila-Acapulco galleon trade (since 1572) supervised by the rel consulad.5 Historical records show that the galleon trade is one of the major economic policies which made the Spanish experience unique. Some of the foreign goods traded in the Philippines included glass beads, silk, iron implements, lead net sinkers, iron needles and ceramics. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Without the Philippines, Spain would not have achieved the same level of success in their trade empire. Because of their usefulness and knowledge, Spain conscripted thousands of natives to perform physical labor. 11. Join us for a panel discussion featuring scholars and experts as they dived into the historic. However, one of the disadvantages of international trade is that most of these destination countries' customs agencies charge extra fees on items shipped to them. The Philippines sacrificed their money, labor and resources to power the Manila Galleon trade. Bigger variety of products for the local population. They seized and raided galleons and Chinese junks, attacked shipyards, and imposed embargos in Philippine and Chinese ports, all in an attempt to hinder Spanish trade (Min 2014:52). "Once this happened, a global trade was created. In the later half of the nineteenth century, some Filipinos were engaged in pearl-shell fishing in the Australian coast (Aguilar 2012:379-383). Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. The absence of presenters from the National Museum of the Philippines limited the ability to disseminate information about archaeological sites and objects involved in the Manila Galleon trade. "Conference on U.S.-Philippine Relations" Congressman Robert A. Underwood (D, Guam) Smithsonian Institution. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. ." Pirates, too, dreamed of taking a ship that could result in every crew member grabbing a lifetime's wages in a single day. ADVERTISEMENTS: Due to international trade, goods are produced not only for home consumption but for export to other countries also. "Commerce and Culture of the Manila Galleon: Linking the Philippines, Guam, The Americas, and Spain". The so-called Manila Galleon ("Nao de China" or "Nao de Acapulco") brought porcelain, silk, ivory, spices, and myriad other exotic goods from China to Mexico in exchange for New World silver. 12 Interesting Spanish American War Facts. In one report, a Spaniard documented that Manila shipbuilders had not been paid in five years (Peterson 2014:205). As a result of all of this, in the Philippines there was "a saltatory rise in the level of foreign trade" (p. 179). The natives were familiar with the waters in the region, and knew the best resources and techniques to build ships and sail them (Stead 2014). An endless amount of invasions and raids greatly hindered the development of the Spanish trading empire and decreased Spanish control in the Philippines. With trade becoming the major incentive for immigration to the Philippines, a regular maritime route was also indispensable. Spain used natives, or Indios, as they identified them, for labor to construct and sail the ships that powered the Manila Galleon trade. Exchanges of Goods, plants and culture8. The long voyage to the Americas was memorably described by the Italian Gemelli Careri who made the crossing at the end of the 17th century: The voyage from the Philippine Islands to America may be called the longest and most dreadful of any in the world, as well because the vast ocean to be crossed being almost one half of the terraqueous globe, with the wind always ahead, as for the terrible tempests that happen there, one upon the back of another, and for the desperate diseases that seize people in 7 or 8 months, lying at sea sometimes near the line, sometimes temperate, and sometimes hot, which is enough to destroy a man of steel, much more flesh and blood, which at sea had but indifferent food. It proposes a conceptual model from the world-systems approach to reflect on the impact of this trade route. The so-called Manila Galleon (Nao de China or Nao de Acapulco) brought porcelain, silk, ivory, spices, and myriad other exotic goods from China to Mexico in exchange for New World silver. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Residents of the Spanish colonies, both Spaniards and Amerindians, festooned themselves and their homes with Oriental goods. Cartwright, M. (2021, October 29). Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. King Phillip II of Spain encouraged the domestication of animals for labor and the introduction of new agricultural methods, which aimed to increase productivity (Girldez 2015:78). Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Eastbound galleons faced the harder challenge. Updates? While each government determines the duties and taxes differently, it is typically calculated on the value of the products sent (item, insurance plus shipping). During the Hispano-Dutch war and Moro Wars, the natives experienced abductions, raids and attacks on settlements and shipyards (Peterson 2014:247). While some natives were obligated to serve as Indios, there were other natives who contributed to the Spanish empire in another way. Manila and the galleons cost enormous sums to maintain and succeeded in directing vast quantities of American silver away from the imperial treasury. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. Explanation: Only advantage I think is the Spanish ocean-going ships connected the Philippine Islands to the trade of the Spanish Empire, Mexico, Peru, Europe and China. 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