Columbus’ accidental discovery of the New World in 1492 marked a turning point in the race against European countries for wealth. As a result of his journey, European explorers set out to claim land in the New World, thus increasing initial competition. The New World provided not only natural resources and new beginnings for the Europeans, but also an increasing hunger for power and dominance. This growing desire was primarily underscored by the contact between the Native Americans and Europeans, as European settlers intruded with Christianity and their strong sense of superiority over the Natives. Consequent to this contact, Europeans enjoyed their gained personal profit from their newfound land by exploiting the Native Americans through enslavement;
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As the first settlers of the New World, the Spanish were thrilled to see the vast city of Tenochtitlán. Its size and grandeur impressed the Spanish settlers; soon enough, the Aztec empire and its riches expanded the conquistadores’ lust for gold. Their greed was evident to both sides, as one Aztec said that “they [the Spanish] lusted for it like pigs,” while one of Cortés’ foot soldiers explained that he simply came to “get rich” (Kennedy, Cohen, Bailey 19-21). Consequent to the growing desire for gold, the Spanish established the encomienda, a new economic system that involved Native Americans being used as a labor force in exchange for Christening them. In other words, the Native Americans became slaves and were forced to find gold for the Spanish. The Aztecs were not the only natives to experience economic reconstruction; the Incas in Peru and the Pokanokets in New England were also forced to live by a new system. After defeating the Incas, conqueror Francisco Pizarro took advantage of the Inca’s silver by importing it to Spain. As a result, the Spanish economy skyrocketed by 500 percent. Just as Cortés did with the Aztecs, Pizarro took advantage of the Inca’s and ultimately used them for personal gain. In parallel to the self-gaining tactics of the Spanish, the English also …show more content…
One of the prime factors that drove the Europeans to convert the natives was their displeasing view of the people. Most Europeans considered the natives to be inferior to themselves, and often referred to the natives as “barbarians”. In specific, the Spanish thought that the natives were “barbarians… who in prudence, skill, virtues, and humanity are as inferior to the Spanish as children to adults…” (Sepúlveda). This superiority that the Europeans claimed to have felt over the natives motivated them to reform the native people. In order to ameliorate the natives upon European standards, the settlers decided to convert the natives to Christianity, which simultaneously destroyed native traditions. The Spanish exemplified this process in 1521, as they destroyed the temples of Tenochtitlán for the sake of building Christian cathedrals. Upon viewing the Aztec tradition of human sacrifice as a sin, the Spanish justified their forcing of Christianity by claiming that being Christianity would “correct their [the natives’] sins” (Las Casas). The Spanish demonstrated their reforming the natives once again by suppressing the Pueblo people of their religion in exchange for Roman Catholic missions. In addition, the Puritans attempted to compensate for their killing of the Pequot tribe by converting the surviving
As the first settlers of the New World, the Spanish were thrilled to see the vast city of Tenochtitlán. Its size and grandeur impressed the Spanish settlers; soon enough, the Aztec empire and its riches expanded the conquistadores’ lust for gold. Their greed was evident to both sides, as one Aztec said that “they [the Spanish] lusted for it like pigs,” while one of Cortés’ foot soldiers explained that he simply came to “get rich” (Kennedy, Cohen, Bailey 19-21). Consequent to the growing desire for gold, the Spanish established the encomienda, a new economic system that involved Native Americans being used as a labor force in exchange for Christening them. In other words, the Native Americans became slaves and were forced to find gold for the Spanish. The Aztecs were not the only natives to experience economic reconstruction; the Incas in Peru and the Pokanokets in New England were also forced to live by a new system. After defeating the Incas, conqueror Francisco Pizarro took advantage of the Inca’s silver by importing it to Spain. As a result, the Spanish economy skyrocketed by 500 percent. Just as Cortés did with the Aztecs, Pizarro took advantage of the Inca’s and ultimately used them for personal gain. In parallel to the self-gaining tactics of the Spanish, the English also …show more content…
One of the prime factors that drove the Europeans to convert the natives was their displeasing view of the people. Most Europeans considered the natives to be inferior to themselves, and often referred to the natives as “barbarians”. In specific, the Spanish thought that the natives were “barbarians… who in prudence, skill, virtues, and humanity are as inferior to the Spanish as children to adults…” (Sepúlveda). This superiority that the Europeans claimed to have felt over the natives motivated them to reform the native people. In order to ameliorate the natives upon European standards, the settlers decided to convert the natives to Christianity, which simultaneously destroyed native traditions. The Spanish exemplified this process in 1521, as they destroyed the temples of Tenochtitlán for the sake of building Christian cathedrals. Upon viewing the Aztec tradition of human sacrifice as a sin, the Spanish justified their forcing of Christianity by claiming that being Christianity would “correct their [the natives’] sins” (Las Casas). The Spanish demonstrated their reforming the natives once again by suppressing the Pueblo people of their religion in exchange for Roman Catholic missions. In addition, the Puritans attempted to compensate for their killing of the Pequot tribe by converting the surviving