Tordesillas

The Treaty of Tordesillas was an agreement signed in 1494 between Spain and Portugal to divide newly discovered lands outside Europe. To avoid conflict, they drew an imaginary line in the Atlantic Ocean, west of the Cape Verde Islands. Lands west of this line would belong to Spain, and those east would belong to Portugal. This division influenced the spread of colonies and cultures, notably granting Portugal control over Brazil and much of Africa and Asia, while Spain gained most of Central and South America. The treaty helped establish the boundaries of European exploration and influence in the New World.