What was the line of demarcation what did it do?

The Line of Demarcation was an imaginary boundary established by the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, dividing newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal. It granted Spain rights to territories west of the line and Portugal rights to lands east of it. This division aimed to resolve conflicts over newly explored regions and shaped colonial expansion in the Americas and beyond, influencing the distribution of power among European nations.