“The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) was of limited significance.” Discuss.

The question requires that candidates offer a considered and balanced review of the statement. Candidates may refer to the treaty’s importance in dividing Latin America, as well as establishing Spain’s position in the western Pacific until 1898. It also established boundaries in the New World for the quarreling European powers. The treaty also ensured Portugal and Spain could exploit their allocated parts of the globe without interfering with each other. A significant impact of the treaty was the precedent it set in dealing with local indigenous peoples of colonized lands. However, the treaty quickly became obsolete in North America, Asia and Africa, affecting colonization, and it was ignored by European nations. Other powers and affected peoples were confused by the treaty’s unclear lines of demarcation. Candidates may agree, partly agree or disagree with the statement..

The question required candidates to offer a considered and balanced review of the statement that the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) was of limited significance. Few responses were seen to this question. Some candidates had limited knowledge with which to answer this question.