The
Manila galleon originally known as La Nao de China,and Galeón de
Acapulco, refers to the Spanish trading ships that linked the
Spanish Crown's Viceroyalty of New Spain, based in Mexico City, with its Asian territories, collectively known as the Spanish East Indies, across the Pacific Ocean. The ships made one or two round-trip voyages per year between the ports of Acapulco and Manila from the late 16th to early 19th century. The name of
the galleon changed to reflect from which city the ship sailed,
setting sail from Cavite, in Manila Bay, at the end of June or first week of July, starting the return journey (tornaviaje) from Acapulco in March–April of the next calendar year, and returning to Manila in June–July.
The term Manila galleon can also refer to the trade route itself between Acapulco and Manila that was operational from 1565 to 1815
The
galleons sailed the Pacific, bringing to the Americas cargoes of Chinese and other Asian luxury goods such as spices and porcelain in exchange for New World silver. In addition, Filipino slaves known as "chinos esclavos" ("Chinese slaves") came across the Pacific to Mexico in what is known as the trans-Pacific slave trade. The route also fostered cultural exchanges that shaped the identities and the culture of the countries involved
Example:
The
Manila galleon were known in New Spain as La Nao de China ("The China Ship") on their voyages from the Spanish East Indies because they carried mostly Chinese goods shipped from Manila.67 The
Manila Galleon route was the first instance of globalization, as it marked the earliest period in history when a trade route from Asia crossed to the Americas, thereby connecting all the world's continents in one global silver trade.
In time, chinos in Mexico came to be treated under the law as Indians, becoming indigenous vassals of the
Spanish crown after 1672. The implications of this legal change were enormous: as Indians, rather than chinos, they could no longer be held as slaves, they become
Five dollar indians.