A Treaty of Tordesillas

The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, was an agreement between Spain and Portugal to resolve disputes over newly discovered lands outside Europe. It drew an imaginary line in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands. Lands west of this line would belong to Spain, and lands east of it would belong to Portugal. This division aimed to prevent conflict and clarify colonial ambitions during the Age of Exploration. The treaty significantly shaped the colonial boundaries in the Americas and other parts of the world, influencing the spread of Spanish and Portuguese influence for centuries.