The Manila Galleon: Silver, Spices, and the First Global Trade

The Rise of Colonialism: How Europe Divided the World — Fexingo History · May 9, 2026 · 5m · transcript

Long before the Panama Canal or the Suez, a Spanish galleon crossed the Pacific every year, linking Asia and the Americas for 250 years. This episode follows the Manila Galleon—the world's first sustained global trade route—through its rise, its riches, and its human cost. Learn how silver from Potosí ended up in Ming dynasty China, how the Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain clashed with the crown over trade restrictions, and how the galleon turned Manila into a crossroads of cultures, bringing not just silk and porcelain but also slaves, exiles, and ideas. We explore the brutal conditions…