During the 1400s and the 1500s how did Spain and Portugal gain their wealth?

Answer 1

Neither one was particularly wealthy in the 15th century. In the 16th century Spain became wealthy raping it's new colonies in the Americas. Any wealth Portugal accrued probably came from trade. Portugal never did gain the wealth or power of Spain.

The slave trade did not really develope until late in the 15th century and it peaked in the 17th century.

Through their prowess as merchant and military navies. It has been said that Portugal invented/initiated the African slave trade but that is not true. Africans were trading slaves north through the Sahara Desert a 1000 years before the Europeans went to west Africa.

Answer 2

It had a monopoly on the trading routes of the world. Portugal became the worlds richest and most powerful country in the world as its empire continued to expand, with its discovery of gold in Africa and Brazil.

Even though Portugal is a mere small, peaceful European country and the Portuguese Empire ended in 1999, with the handover of Macau, still to this day it remains one of the biggest gold reserve holders in the world to this day, triumphing world superpowers like the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, Brazil and Saudi Arabia.

Answer 3

they found gold and silver in the America's.