Native women of the Americas belonged to a culture that respected them. Their culture gave them autonomy, power and equality. Native societies were not founded on a hierarchical system. There was no such thing as major divisions between men and woman. During pre-Colombian times, men and women had different roles and their work often differed, but they did not place more value in one role over the other. The native women were appreciated and respected for helping their families survive. Native women had knowledge of plants and herbs; they used these plants and herbs to preserve food and cure the ill. Native women also participated in political matters and their judgements and opinions were valued. Native women overall had an important role in
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Starting in the late fifteenth century, Europeans began settling in the Americas. By introducing a harsh patriarchy over the people of the Americas, and manipulating gender roles, the white settlers created a central government that was not overcome for over three hundred years. Women tried many ways to fight this patriarchy, including protesting by using witchcraft and religion in an effort to keep their indigenous culture. By the sixteenth century, the creation of a Spanish colony in Peru had wrecked Andean culture in an effort to “civilize” Peru to adopt European values and customs. Five centuries after European colonization; on December 10, 1981, during the years of the Cold War, the citizens of El Mozote were arrested without resistance by the Atlacatl Battalion. The next day on December 11, after spending the night trapped in their houses, the citizens on El Mozote were systematically killed in groups. Men were tortured and killed, followed by women and children. This operation is known as operative de tierra …show more content…
This resulted from discontent with social inequalities, a poor economy, and the brutal actions of dictatorships. The government was not providing its citizens with basic needs, such as: proper schooling, food, health etc. The government consisted of the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance party, and leftist anti-government guerrillas. The United States was on the side of the right-wings, regardless of human rights violations. In 1981, agents from the U.S. Special Forces were directed to make sure the Salvadorians had perfected their military skills. The preparation was the main focus of the Reagan administration. They were trying to professionalize the anti-guerrilla operations of El Salvador 's military. The Reagan administration 's hope was that this preparation would make sure there was little chance of there being an uprising. El Mozote was controlled by the guerrillas one hundred percent of the time. The soldiers from the Salvadoran army would question the people who lived in the villages about guerrillas. “..The interrogations of men appear to have been almost perfunctory as those of the woman.” (Danner; 1994, pg 69) At one instance, the men, women and children were parted. They took women and children away where they were raped and killed. The soldiers would burn the bodies of those they had executed. During the massacre in El Mozote, peasant woman and children were major targets. One of the reasons they killed
Starting in the late fifteenth century, Europeans began settling in the Americas. By introducing a harsh patriarchy over the people of the Americas, and manipulating gender roles, the white settlers created a central government that was not overcome for over three hundred years. Women tried many ways to fight this patriarchy, including protesting by using witchcraft and religion in an effort to keep their indigenous culture. By the sixteenth century, the creation of a Spanish colony in Peru had wrecked Andean culture in an effort to “civilize” Peru to adopt European values and customs. Five centuries after European colonization; on December 10, 1981, during the years of the Cold War, the citizens of El Mozote were arrested without resistance by the Atlacatl Battalion. The next day on December 11, after spending the night trapped in their houses, the citizens on El Mozote were systematically killed in groups. Men were tortured and killed, followed by women and children. This operation is known as operative de tierra …show more content…
This resulted from discontent with social inequalities, a poor economy, and the brutal actions of dictatorships. The government was not providing its citizens with basic needs, such as: proper schooling, food, health etc. The government consisted of the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance party, and leftist anti-government guerrillas. The United States was on the side of the right-wings, regardless of human rights violations. In 1981, agents from the U.S. Special Forces were directed to make sure the Salvadorians had perfected their military skills. The preparation was the main focus of the Reagan administration. They were trying to professionalize the anti-guerrilla operations of El Salvador 's military. The Reagan administration 's hope was that this preparation would make sure there was little chance of there being an uprising. El Mozote was controlled by the guerrillas one hundred percent of the time. The soldiers from the Salvadoran army would question the people who lived in the villages about guerrillas. “..The interrogations of men appear to have been almost perfunctory as those of the woman.” (Danner; 1994, pg 69) At one instance, the men, women and children were parted. They took women and children away where they were raped and killed. The soldiers would burn the bodies of those they had executed. During the massacre in El Mozote, peasant woman and children were major targets. One of the reasons they killed