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  Spain In the West Indies

When Columbus reported his 1492 voyage to “the Indies” a success, Spain claimed the riches of the New World for itself. The claim certainly did not go uncontested, and much of the drama of the following centuries played itself out in the Caribbean region.

The West Indies were central to Spain’s worldwide trade routes. Spanish galleons from Manila crossed the Pacific to Acapulco, laden with Asian treasure. These treasures were hauled overland to Veracruz, where fleets originating in Spain would fill their holds for the return trip to the Old World. In the New World, conquest of the mighty Aztec and Inca empires yielded gold and silver.

Each year Spain normally sent two fleets of merchant ships, guarded by armed vessels, across the Atlantic. One, the Tierra Firme fleet, sailed for South America’s northern coast, known as the Spanish Main, to gather American treasures. The other, the New Spain fleet, took on Mexico’s Asian contribution at Veracruz. Havana was where both fleets tried to rendezvous to make the voyage back to Europe together, but they often missed the connection.

These Spanish treasure galleons were open invitations for plunder, and the English, Dutch, and French challenged Spanish monopolies by pirating the ships. Overloaded ships, disastrous storms, and treacherous shoals also took their toll, all contributing to the sunken treasure chest at the bottom of the Caribbean.