Page 28 - 100 Events That Made History

Hidden riches
In 1545, the world’s greatest source of silver
was found hidden inside a mountain, the high-
altitude CERRO POTOSÍ (in present-day
Bolivia). Within a year of the discovery, the
Spanish conquerors of South America had built
a mining town there, triggering a silver rush.

Striking silver How it changed

The riches at Potosí
helped make the
The 16th-century discovery of SILVER Americas a “go to”
destination. More
in Potosí gave Spain unimaginable wealth people poured in and
built colonies.
the world

Deadly mines
The new mines made the Spanish top traders in the
Americas for two centuries. They shipped out more than
40,000 TONS of silver from Potosí. Local people,
joined by imported African slaves, were forced to
work in the mines in terrible conditions. Many died
from accidents, illnesses, and brutal treatment.

Coin made
of silver mined
at Potosí.

Silver city
By the 17th century, the
scruffy camp at Potosí had become
a wealthy city. The silver helped
pay for Spain’s wars in Europe.
A huge percentage of the silver
ended up in CHINA, where it was
used for currency and traded for
tea, silk, and porcelain.

Potosí is still mined
today, but most of
the silver is gone.
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