Not only did Spain possess a monopoly of the Western Hemisphere at the beginning of the sixteenth century, but also controlled a large portion of Europe, including what is now the empire of Germany, the Netherlands, Burgundy, Sicily, and Milan, Tunis and Oran, together with the Canary and Cape Verde Islands in Africa, and the Philippines and other possessions in Asia. Immense in extent and of incalculable richness as were her dominions, yet the most fertile and promising regions were despised unless they immediately gave promise of gold or silver in large quantities to satisfy Spanish greed and luxury.

Spain pursued the most selfish, narrow and short-sighted policy towards her colonies, seeming to regard them as proper subjects to be bled and fleeced for the enrichment of the home country. She farmed the revenues to local governors, who, having paid the required sum to the crown, in turn enacted an enormous increase by oppressive taxes on the people levied in every conceivable form. Few harbors were established, manufacturing was not only discouraged but actually forbidden, as was also the raising of all European products. Natives and Colonists were forced by every device to purchase from the mother country all manufactured articles, and her colonies were regarded as markets for the goods of the mother country. The inhuman treatment of the natives was in accord with the general spirit of Spanish colonial policy. In 1532 the silver mines of Zacatecas, Mexico, were opened, and about the same time, extensive mines in Peru. The native Indians were employed to work these mines, and were so cruelly treated that nearly all of them died, so that slaves from Africa had to be exported to fill their places. With appalling atrocity the Spaniards proceeded to confiscate the lands and goods of the natives and inflict upon them every form of cruelty and oppression.

The same year in which Columbus discovered America witnessed one of the most melancholy events in Spanish history, and one which seriously affected the prosperity of the country- the expulsion of the Moors. When the Moorish kingdom of Grenada, after a war of ten years, fell before the soldiers of Ferdinand and Isabella, the Mohammedans were allowed no alternative but to leave their country or embrace Christianity. Many chose the former course, while others, with inward repugnance, yielded obedience, but were driven by the cruelty of the inquisition to repeated rebellion, by which their condition was always rendered worse than before. They were finally commanded to renounce even their language, dress and customs, and 800,000 Moors, men and women, old men and children, left the land of their birth, their blooming fields and the houses they had built, and where their ancestors had lived for eight hundred years. The flourishing plains of the south of Spain soon became a desert, agriculture decayed and trade stagnated; prosperous villages were reduced to ruins, towns once animated by commerce became depopulated, poverty, dirt and sloth took possession of the once rich and happy country, the departed splendor of which is still attested by such magnificent ruins as the Alhambra.

A fate similar to that of the Moors was visited upon the Jews*, while priests and courtiers divided the treasures of the banished. The Jews were the most diligent and skillful workmen in Spain, and their banishment, together with that of the Moors, left the country impoverished in every branch of trade and industry. The Spaniards were unable to supply the articles which the silver of Peru would purchase, and hence the Spanish gold and silver which flowed in from their conquests and discoveries went to the markets of the Netherlands and England, there to be exchanged for linen and woolen cloth, manufactured metals, English woolen fabrics, and timber for ship-building. English, Dutch and German merchants brought the articles which Spain needed, and carried home in return gold, silver, pearls and wine.

Now observe how this fortunate condition of affairs, this profitable trade with England and other northern countries, was interfered with and broken up by Spain herself. During the sixteenth century religious zeal and fanaticism were very active in Spain, and the Inquisition spread terror to all heretics. Philip II conceived an ambition to invade England, dethrone Elizabeth, and restore the Catholic religion which had been abolished by Elizabeth's father and predecessor, Henry VIII. For this purpose, in 1588, he fitted out the greatest fleet of the century, and gave it the boastful name of the "Invincible Armada." With this he attacked the English squadron off the south coast of England, resulting in the loss by destruction and capture of the entire Spanish fleet. This conflict destroyed the commerce between Spain and England, and the latter began to make preparations at once to embark in American commerce and colonization on her own account, with the result that the first permanent English colony was planted in Virginia nineteen years later. From that date Spanish interests in the western world began to decline. Her colonies revolted early in the nineteenth century and several of them acquired their independence.* Cuba in 1868 attempted to throw off the yoke of Spanish oppression, but failed. In 1895 another attempt was made, resulting in a bloody war of nearly five years, during which the American warship, Maine, was blown up in Havana harbor. This overt act gave the United States the desired opportunity to assist the Cubans, and led to the Spanish - American war which freed Cuba in 1899, and resulted in Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands being ceded to the United States. Now only the Canary Islands and two small provinces of doubtful value on the west coast of Africa remain as the residue of Spain's vast possessions.

*In the spring of 1492 the Jews, to the number of one hundred and sixty thousand, according to Prescott, were expelled from the kingdom.

* Mexico became independent in 1822; Peru, 1824; Chili, 1826; Colombia, 1820; Ecuador, 1830; Bolivia, 1825; Venezuela, 1831; Uruguay, 1825; Argentine Republic, 1810; Paraguay, 1814; Cuba, 1899; Puerto Rico and the Philippines were ceded to the United States in 1899.