Pearson Edexcel · GCSE · History
Course version: 1HI0 · Version from Sept 2016
Key topic 3: The Spanish Empire c1528–c1555 - 3 Impact of the 'New World'…
Full specification wording
Option P1: Key topic 3: The Spanish Empire c1528–c1555 - 3 Impact of the 'New World' on Spain: The government of the Spanish Empire: the role of the House of Trade and Council of the Indies.
To maintain control over its vast overseas territories, Spain established a highly centralised bureaucratic government.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 1HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 3
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
To maintain control over its vast overseas territories, Spain established a highly centralised bureaucratic government. The House of Trade (Casa de Contratación), founded in Seville in 1503, strictly regulated all commerce, navigation, and emigration to the New World. It collected the royal fifth, licensed ship captains, and ensured Spain maintained a strict trade monopoly. Meanwhile, the Council of the Indies (Consejo de Indias), established in 1524, acted as the supreme administrative and judicial body for the empire. Based in Spain, it advised the monarch, drafted colonial laws, appointed viceroys, and served as the highest court of appeal. Together, these institutions ensured that wealth and power remained firmly concentrated in the hands of the Spanish Crown.
What earns the marks
- Define the House of Trade (Casa de Contratación) as the institution controlling all economic and navigational matters related to the Americas.
- Explain the House of Trade's role in enforcing the Spanish trade monopoly and collecting royal taxes like the quinto real.
- Define the Council of the Indies (Consejo de Indias) as the supreme political, legal, and administrative body for the colonies.
- Describe the Council's responsibilities, including advising the monarch, drafting legislation, and appointing colonial officials like viceroys.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Confusing the roles of the two institutions.
Put it right: The House of Trade handled economics, trade, and navigation, while the Council of the Indies handled laws, administration, and appointments.
Stating these institutions were located in the Americas.
Put it right: Both the House of Trade (Seville) and the Council of the Indies (royal court) were based in Spain to maintain centralised control.
Assuming the colonies had independent governments.
Put it right: Emphasise that these institutions were designed specifically to prevent colonial independence and enforce absolute royal authority.
Exam tips
- Clearly distinguish between the economic functions of the House of Trade and the political/legal functions of the Council of the Indies.
- Mention Seville as the headquarters of the House of Trade to show specific geographical knowledge of Spain's monopoly system.
- Use these institutions as evidence when answering questions about how the Spanish Crown maintained control over the conquistadors and the New World.
Try the lesson
The start of the Option P1: Key topic 3: The Spanish Empire c1528–c1555 - 3 Impact of the 'New World' on Spain: The government of the Spanish Empire: the role of the House of Trade and Council of the Indies. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
What was the primary function of the House of Trade (Casa de Contratación) established in Seville?
Listen
To maintain control over its vast overseas territories, Spain established a highly centralised bureaucratic government. The House of Trade (Casa de Contratación), founded in Seville in 1503, strictly regulated all commerce, navigation, and emigration to the New World. It collected the royal fifth, licensed ship captains, and ensured Spain maintained a strict trade monopoly. Meanwhile, the Council of the Indies (Consejo de Indias), established in 1524, acted as the supreme administrative and judicial body for the empire. Based in Spain, it advised the monarch, drafted colonial laws, appointed viceroys, and served as the highest court of appeal. Together, these institutions ensured that wealth and power remained firmly concentrated in the hands of the Spanish Crown. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Define the House of Trade (Casa de Contratación) as the institution controlling all economic and navigational matters related to the Americas. Explain the House of Trade's role in enforcing the Spanish trade monopoly and collecting royal taxes like the quinto real. Define the Council of the Indies (Consejo de Indias) as the supreme political, legal, and administrative body for the colonies. Describe the Council's responsibilities, including advising the monarch, drafting legislation, and appointing colonial officials like viceroys. A common slip: Confusing the roles of the two institutions. Instead, the House of Trade handled economics, trade, and navigation, while the Council of the Indies handled laws, administration, and appointments. Exam tip: Clearly distinguish between the economic functions of the House of Trade and the political/legal functions of the Council of the Indies.
See it
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
House of Trade
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Council of the Indies
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Trade monopoly
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Centralised bureaucratic government
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- House of Trade
- The institution, founded in Seville in 1503, that strictly regulated all commerce, navigation and emigration to the New World.
- Council of the Indies
- The supreme administrative and judicial body for the empire, established in 1524, which advised the monarch and drafted colonial laws.
- Trade monopoly
- The strict control of commerce that the House of Trade ensured Spain maintained over its overseas territories.
- Centralised bureaucratic government
- The highly centralised system Spain established to maintain control over its vast overseas territories.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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