Question

How did illegal smuggling affect the Portuguese empire? A. The Portuguese rulers profited from it B. It caused a war between Spain and Portugal C. It caused economic hardship in the empire D. It led Portugal to expand its colonies I need help its Unit 4 Lesson 9, 7th grade test If you have the other answer that would be great

Answer 1

The illegal smuggling caused economic hardship in the Portuguese empire.  During the 8th and 9th Centuries, tobacco became the major product in the Portugal. Tobacco’s importance as a commercial product had in fact grown steadily after 1620, and by the early 1700s, the monopoly on its sale had become one of the country’s most precious sources of income.

Together with spices, tobacco became the principle item of exchange for products from the Far East and for slaves taken from the coast from the West Africa.