Final answer:
Spain and Portugal were the two signatories of the Treaty of Tordesillas, which divided newly discovered lands outside Europe between them for colonization and trade. Other European nations largely ignored this treaty and pursued their own colonial ambitions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The treaty of Tordesillas was signed by two countries, Spain and Portugal. In 1494, these two nations agreed to divide the newly discovered lands outside Europe along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands, off the west coast of Africa. This treaty was ratified by Spain on July 2, 1494, and by Portugal on September 5 of the same year. It played a crucial role in the colonial era by allowing these countries to claim and colonize lands in the Americas and around the world.
Portugal became one of the leading European nations in the Age of Discovery, in part due to advancements such as the compass and the caravel. They established trading ports in regions like West Africa and India. After Columbus's voyage in 1492 sponsored by Spain, competition between Spain and Portugal was mitigated by the Treaty of Tordesillas, which was later complemented by the Treaty of Zaragoza.
However, other European nations, such as England and France, largely ignored the treaty. They were not bound by papal decrees because of the Protestant Reformation and their own conflicting interests in global exploration and colonization. These developments set the stage for England and France’s own colonial ambitions in the 17th century. Indeed, the Treaty of Tordesillas and its impact on trade and colonization were significant factors in shaping the early period of global exploration.