The Treaty of Tordesillas was an agreement made in 1494 between Spain and Portugal to divide newly discovered lands outside Europe. The treaty established a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands, granting Spain rights to lands west of this line and Portugal rights to lands east of it. This division aimed to resolve conflicts over newly explored territories. The treaty was significant in shaping the colonial landscape of the Americas and parts of Africa and Asia. It allowed Portugal to claim territories in Brazil and Spain to expand its influence in the rest of the Americas, impacting global trade and exploration.