Institution

Manila galleon

1565–1815 · 16th century

The Manila galleon was the Spanish trade route across the Pacific between Manila and Acapulco, in operation from 1565 to 1815. Galleons carried American silver to Asia and returned with Chinese silk, porcelain and other goods. The trade linked the Spanish Empire to China and was one of the first sustained global trade routes.

Manila galleon
Image: NASA/JPL/NIMA; derivative work by Uxbona · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 4 profiles

Spanish EmpireSocioeconomy, ImpactNew SpainSocioeconomy, Impact, SummaryViceroyalty of PeruSocioeconomyHabsburg SpainSocioeconomy

Mentioned in 2 state histories

New SpainCaptaincy General of the Philippines

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Manila galleon. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/manila-galleon
MLA
“Manila galleon.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/manila-galleon. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Manila galleon.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/manila-galleon.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Manila galleon’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/manila-galleon (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻