In the late 1400's, conquistadors started their first voyages to the “New World”. They sought gold, resources, and to convert any indigenous peoples they came across. The Spanish, the conquistadors were heroes for spreading Catholicism and returning new resources. Yet, from the point of view of the natives and Bartholome de Las Casas, they were villains. The conquistadors massacred the natives; enslaving those who escaped. The conquistadors were no heroes. By the early 1500’s, the Spanish were already conquering more land by killing more natives for gold and greed.
In this week’s reading, “Spanish Conquest” by Elizabeth Carmichael and Chloe Sayer discuss the subjugation, ethnocide, and struggle the indigenous population of Mexico endured during the Spanish conquest. The Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortez, enslave and forced the Aztecs to believe that Christianity was the one true religion. Therefore, the indigenous people were forced to convert their faith through the Spanish missionaries to lose their indigenous roots. Later, the authors explain the many difficulties and conflicts Spanish priest underwent to teach the Christian faith to the Aztecs. The Spanish friar first taught the indigenous people Christianity in Nahuatl. However, there was a debate if teaching the Aztecs in Nahuatl hindered
This historically bad treatment of Natives Americans, was common in many of the European colonies of the Americas and was often used as propaganda for the competing European powers to create criticism and animosity towards the Spanish Empire. From the perspective of history and the colonization of the Americas, all of the European powers that colonized the Americas, such as England, Portugal, the Netherlands and others, were guilty of the same atrocities towards the Native Americans. Colonial powers have all been accused of massacring the natives in the Americas. The type of propaganda has been employed for centuries and in every country. We have even heard this from our parents, those people are no good because they
Indeed, The upper Western class' gentle treatment of Columbus abuses speaks to the power of propaganda and how its invocation alone can warp the past and control the future. In the Bahamas islands where Christopher Columbus landed, he and his Spanish compatriots committed grievous wrongs. According to Howard Zinn (pg 90), Columbus' first main interest upon meeting the Native Americans was gold. Hence Columbus ordered that the Native Americans in the Bahamas retrieve a certain quota of gold for his cache. If and when some of the Native Americans did not meet Columbus gold quota, he had them dismembered. Those Native Americans who fled or retaliated were hunted down, starved, became diseased or were killed. Columbus' and his men additionally
When thinking of the Spanish Conquest, two groups often come to mind: the Spaniards and the Native Americans. The roles of each of these groups and their encounters have been so heavily studied that often the role of Africans is undermined. As Matthew Restall states in his article Black Conquistadors, the justifications for African contribution are often “inadequately substantiated if not marginalized [as the] Africans were a ubiquitous and pivotal part of the Spanish conquest campaigns in the Americas […]” (Restall 172). Early on in his article, Restall characterizes three categories of Africans present during the Conquest – mass slaves, unarmed servants of the Spanish, and armed auxillaries (Restall 175). Estebanico, the protagonist of The
The first Catholic missionaries, also know as Jesuits, came to New France in 1634 to spread Christianity and European values. The Jesuits established Sainte-Marie-aux-Hurons by the St. Lawrence River in 1639, creating a central base for all missionary work in New France. This paper will examine how the Jesuits ' feelings of superiority over the Huron people led to converting the native population to Christianity.
In the 16th Century, Spain became one of the European forces to reckon with. To expand even further globally, Spanish conquistadors were sent abroad to discover lands, riches, and North America and its civilizations. When the Spanish and Native American groups met one another, they judged each other, as they were both unfamiliar with the people that stood before them. The Native American and Spanish views and opinions of one another are more similar than different because when meeting and getting to know each other, neither the Spaniards nor the Native Americans saw the other group of people as human. Both groups of people thought of one another as barbaric monsters and were confused and amazed by each other’s cultures. But, even though both
Spain’s empire was vast and held possessions in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa for centuries. Even though the Spanish Empire lasted for many years, there are some important characteristics that defined it; I will name five characteristics that defined the Spanish Empire and what it was like to live there are, these include: the emphasis on religion that the Spanish crowns placed, the incorporation of other races as Spanish subjects, the opportunities for social mobility presented for some despite social stigma, the Hapsburgs’ soft politics and the changes brought by the Bourbons’ ascent to power, and the motives for Spanish Independence.
From 1400 to 1700 C.E. the Europeans began explorations into the new world and made settlements in the Americas. The explorers included Columbus, Magellan, and Cortez, and they are known in this era also known as the Age of Exploration. One of the European countries to first explore was Spain; however, the Spanish were not, one would say, good house guests. The Spanish saw the natives as inferior and In need of Christianity. The settlers mistreated the natives even though the laws back in Spain declared justice in dealing with the natives. the Spanish saw the natives abundance of gold and that they were not Christian, and they felt justified in mistreating them because they thought they were helping them religiously
Bartolome de Las Casas, an ordained priest belonging to the Dominican Order, actively fought for justice for the indigenous peoples of the New World on the premise that all men are created equal. In response to the atrocities committed by the Spanish during the sixteenth century European colonization of the New World, Bartolome de Las Casas published A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies to expose the ignorant general Spanish population to the horrors that were being inflicted on thousands of human beings. From the Caribbean, to Mexico, to Central America and then to Peru, Las Casas recounts the countless number of grotesque, horrifying abuses against the indigenous people by “Christian” Spaniards. Blind to the differences between appearance, culture, sex, religion, and driven by a strong sense of morality, Las Casas, driven by a sense of morality, fought to end the massacre and restore the dignity all human beings deserve.
Very clever allusion, he did not say that but the notary told him that. A holy comparison! First, Christopher Columbus who discovered the New World, by chance, when he was looking for a short way to the Indian’s gold and spices. Second, Camille Douls who has the courage to go alone to Hades ( Western Sahara ) , as Hercules, with an excellent merit to the latter, which is, he does that not for gold, but rather, for the European knowledge for humanity and that is what made him a benefactor of humanity more than Columbus was. Let us dive into Vieuchange’s poem perhaps we find something else
I will outline the argument put forth by father Luis Jayme for support being sent from the Franciscian church to aid both neothytes (Indian converts to Christianity) and gentiles (non-converted Indians), who are allegedly subject to rape from the Portuguese soldiers.
The invasion of the "New World" by European explorers was a significant event which brought on many consequences. The Europeans, who has been isolated for around a thousand years, were eager to explore this new territory, and impose its beliefs upon the natives. The Exploration and colonization of the New World by Europeans impacted the native peoples in both a positive and negative way. The Spanish introduction of many new trades, as well as agricultural techniques helped the Natives grow society and provided a new source of income. However, the introduction of many foreign diseases, and the violent push to convert people to Christianity greatly outweighed the positive effects of the colonization of the new world.
In the article, “The Devastation of the Indies” by Bartoleme de Las Casa, we read about the horrible things that were done to the Indians by the so-called Christians who were heaven sent who were known as the Spaniards. The Spaniards did not consider the Indians as human beings. The Spaniards came into the Indian land and tried to turn them into something they are not. They treated the Indians like dogs and did not pity them in any way.