European Responses To Native Americans

The Spanish Conquest involves the domination of the Incas and Aztecs by the exploring Europeans. Advanced weapons, domestic animals, and disease all have immense advantages for the Europeans over the Central and South American natives. The natives also had many differing reactions to the Spaniards’ arrival and attacks. The Spaniards arrived in the Inca civilization with no force and lingered around with no sign of attack before trying to communicate.

They were not sure whether or not to call them “beasts”, “barbarians”, or “brothers” (Andrien 59). Columbus, being the pocketful of sunshine he is, forced the inhabitants to convert to Christianity to ensure that the land was for Spain, all of Spain practiced one religion. If the inhabitants did not agree to convert they severely punished, as mentioned before (Wallbank et al 482 ). The Catholic Majesties were smart to invest in Christopher Columbus. Without his exploration and “discoveries” of gold, slivers, spices and slaves, they would not have been able to replenish their wealth and rebuild the broken economy.

The reason of why Christopher Columbus arrived to the Indies was because he was looking for a new route to Asia but instead he found a New World full of new amazing stuff in it. After Columbus informed about the new world plans changed. The Queen and King from Spain now wanted to impose Christianity over Indians. Christopher assumed that they didn’t worship any god so he thought it would be easy to convert them. Columbus describes Indians bodies as strong and with beautiful features. Cristopher narrates how Indias would approach his ship on little canoes constructed with trunks of trees to exchange cotton, thread, parrots, darts, and other things for anything they had. Columbus was always looking for gold when they were exchanging goods. Columbus was planning to capture Indians and make them slaves under Spanish control. Europeans also found cinnamon and other spices in America instructed by indians. One can see how Europeans took advantage of Indians by taking their resources and land without paying a cent. This was because Indians consider land as a living thing “Mother Nature” and they couldn’t sell the land because according to them the land wasn’t owned by

The Aztecs, part of modern day Mexico, were once the epitome of fine culture. They began their rule of southern and central Mexico during the 14th century and practiced an incredibly wealthy lifestyle. Nonetheless, this rule began to deteriorate when Spanish explorers disembarked at Tabasco and Vera Cruz on April 21st 1519. When the Spanish voyagers first arrived, they were welcomed warmly, respectfully and received Godlike treatment. Montezuma, the ruler at that time, believed that the Spanish military leader, Hernán Cortés, was the great god Quetzalcoatl. The Spanish took advantage of this Aztec belief and conquered Mexico within two years. By 1521, the Aztec culture was officially eradicated and a new culture, consisting of a

While trying to adapt Native Americans to European customs, Columbus and his followers took advantage of the Indians. The Spanish burned the Natives sacred objects and would not allow them to practice their own religions. They also abused the Natives, enslaving them, taking land from them, and raping their women. Because of the conquistadors quest for gold and other riches,

Beginning in the sixteenth century, Europeans made the voyage to a “new world” in order to achieve dreams of opportunity and riches. In this other world the Europeans came upon another people, which naturally led to a cultural exchange between different groups of people. Although we commonly refer to European and Indian relations as being between just two very different groups of people, it is important to recognize this is not entirely true. Although the settlers of the new world are singularly referred to as Europeans, each group of people came from a different nation and with different motives and expectations of the new world. Similarly, the Indians were neither a united group nor necessarily friendly with each other. Due to the

Throughout the course of history there have been numerous accounts regarding Native American and European interaction. From first contact to Indian removal, the interaction was somewhat of a roller coaster ride, leading from times of peace to mini wars and rebellions staged by the Native American tribes. The first part of this essay will briefly discuss the pre-Columbian Indian civilizations in North America and provide simple awareness of their cultures, while the second part of this essay will explore all major Native American contact leading up to, and through, the American Revolution while emphasizing the impact of Spanish, French, and English explorers and colonies on Native American culture and vice versa. The third, and final, part of this essay will explore Native American interaction after the American Revolution with emphasis on westward expansion and the Jacksonian Era leading into Indian removal. Furthermore, this essay will attempt to provide insight into aspects of Native American/European interaction that are often ignored such as: gender relations between European men and Native American women, slavery and captivity of native peoples, trade between Native Americans and European colonists, and the effects of religion on Native American tribes.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, when the Europeans started to come over to the new world, they discovered a society of Indians that was strikingly different to their own. To understand how different, one must first compare and contrast some of the very important differences between them, such as how the Europeans considered the Indians to be extremely primitive and basic, while, considering themselves civilized. The Europeans considered that they were model societies, and they thought that the Indians society and culture should be changed to be very similar to their own.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, when the Europeans started to come over to the new world, they discovered a society of Indians that was strikingly different to their own. To understand how different, one must first compare and contrast some of the very important differences between them, such as how the Europeans considered the Indians to be extremely primitive and basic, while, considering themselves civilized. The Europeans considered that they were model societies, and they thought that the Indians society and culture should be changed to be very similar to their own.

The Aztec people felt very strong about their beliefs in gods and superstitions. Montecuhzoma the independent ruler of the Aztec empire swayed his people to believe in the power of gods and idols and live a spiritual life. This ultimately was a turning point for the Aztecs and is where the Spanish once again gained advantage over the Aztecs. While the Aztecs were faithful to their beliefs it made them powerless an easy take down. Superstitions played a huge factor in the Aztecs first encounter with the Spanish people. In 1519 when the Aztec people saw sight of something coming from a distance in the water, they believed it was Quetzalcoatl (Leon-Portilla, 18). Quetzalcoatl was a legend to them that promised to come back. Montecuhzoma misread the situation and sent messages and gifts in hopes that it sent a gesture to welcome the gods onto their land. This was a big mistake that Motecuhzoma made by opening his arms to the Spanish people upon their first encounter together (Leon-Portilla, 63). This is just one case where the Aztec people poorly used their judgement. However, Motecuhzoma did come to realize the behavior of the Spaniards or “Gods”. When the Spaniards held the gold given by the Aztecs their greed became noticed in the eyes of the Aztecs. The Natives described them as monkeys. They soon caught on that the Spaniards were not gods and heroes and more so barbarians

On 1492, Christopher Columbus was the first person who found North American. After that, European people increasingly started to go North American and they tried to survive in the new world. But North America still had many native Americans to live there. So in my opinion, when Europeans found native Americans and Europeans began to comprehend native American’s living habits. But Europeans came to America that had positive impact and also still had negative impact to native Americans.

Before Europeans ever ventured to North America, the land had been populated by Native American nations that had their own distinct cultures and social structures. Native Americans had trade routes and established complex relationships between tribes. They were not merely heathens waiting to be civilized by the Europeans. Yet, Europeans would use those justifications to lay claim on their land.

One of the goals when Cortes, Pizarro, and Columbus came to the Americas was to spread Christianity. The Natives, on the other hand, resisted being converted which led to violence. The Spaniards thought themselves superior to the Natives and treated them as animals. Though they called themselves Christians, they rode the backs of the Natives, and killed them for sport. In New England, when the Puritans arrived they also felt uneasy about the presence of the Natives, though the Natives were not aggressive towards them.

During Columbus’ journey, he had found the people of Espanola to be very generous with all of their possessions but they behaved very timorous. He perceives them as barbaric and uneducated because of their use of clothes and weapons, “… all go naked, men and women, as their mothers bore them… they

During some of his first encounters with the natives he already begins to make drastic claims. From his entry on October 11th, Columbus describes the natives with the following: “I could see that they were people who would be more easily converted to our Holy Faith… They must be good servants, and intelligent, for I can see that they quickly repeat everything said to them. I believe they would readily become Christians; it appeared to me that they have no religion.” Without spending a large amount of time with the natives, Columbus already deems them easily susceptible to Christianity; due to the fact they did not appear to have a religion. This ties into Todorov’s thesis, the natives did not possess the communications skills that the Spaniards did, and therefore, they could not communicate to an effective degree to the Spaniards what kind of people they were, and that they did have a faith they believed in. In addition to this, in his October 14th entry Columbus states, “These people have little knowledge of fighting… for with fifty men one could keep the whole population in subjection and make them do whatever one wanted.” Again, Columbus makes these grandiose claims of these people, and is able to write this down and have it be read. Columbus is using these writings paint a picture of the natives, of which they could comprehend, giving Columbus and his crew