* The Treaty of Tordesillas was signed between Portugal and the crown of Castile in June 1494. It was designed to settle territorial disputes in the New World between the two powers. It did so by establishing a line across the Atlantic Ocean, 370 leagues to the west of the Cape Verde Islands. All the territories to the east of the line were to be Portugal’s while all to the west were to be Castile’s. The treaty was generally respected and had a lasting impact.