The missionaries want to convey their religious beliefs on the pagan settlers they seek to convert. The language that characterized this interaction, including converting Spanish words related to religion into Tagalog words to facilitate not just conversion but subservience to religious leaders who are instrumental in the political subjugation of the conquered people. A key point in the book is the seemingly ironic turn of events. The missionaries were too intent on translating the religious texts and words so that they can allow the natives the opportunity to assimilate with the Spaniards (in faith, at least). They were successful in converting natives and many become devout Christians. The Christian faith introduced by the Spaniards sought
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
Under the “dogmatic assumption that the new world belonged to Spain by the right of Pope Alexander’s bull of donation,” Cortés believed that he was the “instrument of divine justice” permitting him to violently act upon the inhabitants if they did not cease their possessions to the Spaniards. In addition, Cortés believed that he had the right to destroy the natives’ forms of idols and replace them with Christian statues. Through the narrative of Cortés’s leadership, it is evident that religion was valued since it served as a guide to administer Spanish expansion. The narrative of Sundiata demonstrates that religion was important to the Mandingo culture because it was spiritual force that granted Sundiata blessing and fortune in
One of the main reasons the Spaniards arrived
While the English were mostly motivated by wealth and conquest the Spanish were motivated by the spreading of Christianity as well as wealth and land. In 1492 Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus discovered America while attempting to find a passage to the Indies for spices and Christianity. Other explorations included Mexico, the Philippines, Peru, and Panama. The Spanish had a violent approach to the process of acquiring new land. They treated the people of the conquered lands very poorly through the murdering of natives and the theft of their gold and other precious metals in the name of Christianity.
United States in the 1540’s in search of gold and other treasures. As the conquistadores traveled they came in contact with a few different Native American groups. They tried hard to convert these new people to Roman Catholicism, which was the Spanish religion. In the 1680’s the
At one point some Indians escaped a ship that was going to take them to Hispaniola to be sold as slaves, and the Spaniards sent a ship to voyage through the island for three years to hunt down those who fled. It is astonishing how cruel the Christians were solely for personal and materialistic
Since 1492, Spain recognized Christianity as its official religion because there was no distinction between Catholicism and Protestantism. Most of the Spanish population practiced Christianity due to Jews being banished and Muslims being converted. In 1517, the Protestant Reformation divided the Christian religion half - into Catholicism and Protestantism. Spain supported the Catholic religion, and they saw the New World as an opportunity to convert others to Catholicism. They believed that religion gave them the right to conquer new land, because they “came to serve God and to get rich, as all men wish to do,” which Bernal Diaz del Castillo said while working with Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico.
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.
This ordered and Jews and Muslims to convert to Christianity. They tortured the heretics that did not convert to catholic finally all Jews and Muslims who refused to convert were banned from Spain. The Jews and Muslims could practice their own religion but it had to be secretly done. Isabella sponsored the voyage of Christopher Columbus which brought money to Spain and a new world. When Columbus discovered the new land they were given to Castile because of Isabella’s sponsorship.
Europeans came to the New World with three intentions: gold, glory, and God. The spread Christianity to the Native Americans, but in turn, they did not adapt the Native American’s customs. It helped make Christianity a global religion. Because it was almost forced into the New World, Christianity overruled Islam as well as other religions.
De las Casas spoke only of the brutalities and “the great iniquities and injustices, the outrageous acts of violence and the bloody tyranny of these Christians have steadily escalated, the perpetrators having lost all fear of God, all love of their sovereign, and all sense of self-respect.” (de las Casas, 1542). This shows that the other empires thought less of them because of some of their actions against the Natives. In 1552 this idea of how the Spanish treated the Natives as less than human; and as if they were only a thing to be conquered with a show of power through violence. They did end up using violence in more than one case, however, a few actions of the many cannot have reason to say that every single Spaniard would be un-Christian.
He believed it a good idea to take some natives back with him to Spain so that the natives could learn their language, customs, and faith…and of course, tell the Spanish what treasures they have in their country. “They are ready to believe […] quick to recite any prayer we tell them to say, and to make the sign of the cross. Your Majesties should therefore determine to convert them to Christianity…” (p. 9). Columbus believed the Indians had no religion and that they did not know the meaning of evil thus, implying that it would be very simple to convert them to Christianity.
In The Requerimiento by Juan López de Palacios Rubios, natives in the new world were told, “We ask that … you acknowledge the Christian church as the ruler and superior of the whole world, and as superiors that you agree to let the Christian priests preach to you … (The Priests) shall not compel you to become Christians unless you yourself wish to be converted. But if you do not do this … we shall forcefully enter into your country and make war against you.” The Spanish conquistadors allowed natives to choose whether or not they wanted to convert to Christianity, However if they did not, then the Spanish turned them into slaves. The True History of the Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Diaz del Castillo openly stated that a reason for Spanish exploration was, “To serve God and his majesty, to give light to those who were in darkness.” The Spanish viewed non-Christians as unintelligent people because they believed in a different God.
When Columbus came to the Americas in search of land for his king, he also came to claim land for God” (Spreading Religion in the Age of Exploration). The Europeans spread Christianity, and it became very popular among the colonies of the New World. “Roman Catholicism was the official religion of Spain, so the Spanish conquistadors sought to spread Catholicism throughout their colonies, in addition to accumulating wealth and power” (Spreading Religion in the Age of Exploration). The Spanish missionaries worked very hard throughout the Americas and attempted to evangelize Native American groups.
As more settlers came to the new world from Europe, they brought Christianity with them, and Christianity’s popularity from Europe continued on in the new world. European contact with Native Americans deteriorated the Natives’ religions while strengthening the Europeans’