What if Spain discovered gold in the American Southwest and California

I was wondering one thing: what if Spanish explorers and settlers discovered gold by accident in California and the American Southwest? How would it affect history and the economy in the region?
 
For Spain no, Mexico maybe

Even though there is much alur to the Spanish golden doubloon, the empire was built more upon its pieces of eight from the silver found in Peru. Their presence in North America was more by accident thanks to accepting Herndando Cortes's claim, missionaries and the fur trade. The Spanish in the Americas also mostly relied on pre-existing mines the natives done in the area; so without prospecting the most someone would find is maybe an ounce or few if lucky after a days worth of sifting. Perhaps some more Spanish then in OTL would settle with an Encomienda (Spanish allowance of land, subsidies and a promise of servants/slaves in short) to avoid the stiff competition going on in the Carribean and South America for more environmental bearable conditions.

However, more established towns and colonies could subsiquently help Mexico have more solid claim to the southwest and California against the US to consider Manifest Destiny over. Also some Texans may have a harder time vying for independence.
 
Even though there is much alur to the Spanish golden doubloon, the empire was built more upon its pieces of eight from the silver found in Peru. Their presence in North America was more by accident thanks to accepting Herndando Cortes's claim, missionaries and the fur trade. The Spanish in the Americas also mostly relied on pre-existing mines the natives done in the area; so without prospecting the most someone would find is maybe an ounce or few if lucky after a days worth of sifting. Perhaps some more Spanish then in OTL would settle with an Encomienda (Spanish allowance of land, subsidies and a promise of servants/slaves in short) to avoid the stiff competition going on in the Carribean and South America for more environmental bearable conditions.

However, more established towns and colonies could subsiquently help Mexico have more solid claim to the southwest and California against the US to consider Manifest Destiny over. Also some Texans may have a harder time vying for independence.

You seen to have a good point.
 
Even though there is much alur to the Spanish golden doubloon, the empire was built more upon its pieces of eight from the silver found in Peru. Their presence in North America was more by accident thanks to accepting Herndando Cortes's claim, missionaries and the fur trade. The Spanish in the Americas also mostly relied on pre-existing mines the natives done in the area; so without prospecting the most someone would find is maybe an ounce or few if lucky after a days worth of sifting. Perhaps some more Spanish then in OTL would settle with an Encomienda (Spanish allowance of land, subsidies and a promise of servants/slaves in short) to avoid the stiff competition going on in the Carribean and South America for more environmental bearable conditions.

However, more established towns and colonies could subsiquently help Mexico have more solid claim to the southwest and California against the US to consider Manifest Destiny over. Also some Texans may have a harder time vying for independence.

This is halfway true, the silver was much more important for Spain in general, but vast vast quantities of this silver also came from Mexico, which was a highly profitable colony. I agree though that the presence further north was just the result of some small missionary efforts.
 
This is halfway true, the silver was much more important for Spain in general, but vast vast quantities of this silver also came from Mexico, which was a highly profitable colony. I agree though that the presence further north was just the result of some small missionary efforts.

Just wondering, why did silver had greater value than gold at that time?
 
This is halfway true, the silver was much more important for Spain in general, but vast vast quantities of this silver also came from Mexico, which was a highly profitable colony. I agree though that the presence further north was just the result of some small missionary efforts.

Oh yea, mustn't forget about that Taxco silver. But I figured Lima would have still be the more established and easier to mine area at the time. Mexico and most of central America seemed centered around serving as a conduit for transporting goods from the Pacific side of South America, to the Caribbean, before going off to Spain.

Just wondering, why did silver had greater value than gold at that time?

It was also mined in greater quantities, more durable when minted, weighed less (thus easier to transport more at a time) and most importantly was still precious yet more widely by commoners so if the market was flooded with the stuff it would not effect, or in fact benefit, the bottom line of the super wealther merchant along with nobility.

So if a Spanish merchant, explorer or conquistador somehow stumbled upon the Comstock Lode.:cool:
 
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Oh yea, mustn't forget about that Taxco silver. But I figured Lima would have still be the more established and easier to mine area at the time. Mexico and most of central America seemed centered around serving as a conduit for transporting goods from the Pacific side of South America, to the Caribbean, before going off to Spain.



It was also mined in greater quantities, more durable when minted, weighed less (thus easier to transport more at a time) and most importantly was still precious yet more widely by commoners so if the market was flooded with the stuff it would not effect, or in fact benefit, the bottom line of the super wealther merchant along with nobility.

So if a Spanish merchant, explorer or conquistador somehow stumbled upon the Comstock Lode.:cool:

Heck it mean a big boom!
 
With a bigger boom comes a greater...

Heck it mean a big boom!

Perhaps but it could also follow by a quicker decline of the Spanish Empire then OTL. Since much like many of the OPEC members today Spain relied on the trade value of its silver and gold (in inflationary terms and beyond the benefit of nobility hedge quickly enough on other resources) to maintain its weath and rule. Also such a scenario of even more sudden wealth in the Americas would increase sentiments for autonomy (something like the Burbon Reforms arriving sooner then OTL) or even independence among the creoles plus all settlers at large (except slaves).
 
Perhaps but it could also follow by a quicker decline of the Spanish Empire then OTL. Since much like many of the OPEC members today Spain relied on the trade value of its silver and gold (in inflationary terms and beyond the benefit of nobility hedge quickly enough on other resources) to maintain its weath and rule. Also such a scenario of even more sudden wealth in the Americas would increase sentiments for autonomy (something like the Burbon Reforms arriving sooner then OTL) or even independence among the creoles plus all settlers at large (except slaves).

But will this also prevent the disorder Mexico had to suffer in OTL?
 
But will this also prevent the disorder Mexico had to suffer in OTL?

It could, but the butterflies at this point are enough that it could spawn more disorder and we may see a full ratification of an agreement along the lines of the Constitution of Caldiz or Spanish Constitution of 1812. Either way the Spanish King would be even more compelled pass political as well as economic reform then OTL to manage all this new territory, wealth and protect it from privateers. This could create a kind of Commonwealth among all Spanish territories or even separate but equal kingdoms for each region. In this situation perhaps Mexico would not go under as many revolutions.
 
The Portuguese discovering the gold and diamonds in South Africa?

Dias in 1488 came to South Africa.

Let's imagine he had a bigger following and somehow stumbled across the gold deposits in Transvaal and the diamonds in Kimberley?

Now what?

It is a bit of an inspiration from the Spanish gold discovery in California.

Ivan
 
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