When Columbus stumbled upon the “New World” in 1492, he unwittingly initiated one of the most profound transformations in world history; a transformation that continues to shape the world in which we live today. The conquest of the Americas is known to being a brutal and vicious tragedy. While the newcomers cherished their new findings of spices, sugar, tobacco, coffee, gold, forest and fertile lands, the indigenous people were attacked with diseases, humiliation, destruction of culture and living conditions, and mass death. Since the conquest, historians have puzzled over one question in particular. How did so few Spanish manage to conquer such huge territories and the population taking up those lands?
Matt Mramer 9/7/2009 Columbus, The Indians, and Human Progress By: Howard Zinn In this thesis “Columbus, The Indians and Human Progress” Howard Zinn refutes the common American belief that Christopher Columbus was a trailblazing hero, and instead shows the horrors of how he and his colleagues took advantage of the Native Americans and abused their kind, sharing nature. He expresses the dark side of Columbus’ encounters with the natives and the inhumane way he thought of them and treated them. He exploited the natives for work and precious metals and took advantage of them in as many ways as he possibly could. As many Americans see Columbus as a hero, Zinn exposes the abominations he imposed on the native people, and just how greedy he and the other Spaniards, such as Cortés and Pizarro, were. Howard Zinn is a firm believer that Columbus and the explorers were not heroes or saviors, but rather, cruel and egotistical characters who took advantage of the most innocent of human beings.
Just think if Spain still had control over Cuba and Hawaii, we would have to spend more money as a country to import sugar and pineapples. With America going to war with Spain and gaining control of Hawaii and Cuba these things are not taxed as much as they would have been. During the war however, many people in Spain and supporting Spain in the war, burnt the sugar cane fields and threatened the lives of many. People against the idea of imperialism were worried about the wars that it might entail and I cannot say that I blame them. With the Spanish American War happening because of the imperialism, this brought many people in America against the idea.
For those of the knightly class, it was a way of penance; by killing the “heathens” they were able to cleanse their sins. And for those of the much higher class, it was a way of eliminating rivals through false accusations of heresy that would allow them to wage war without the religious ramifications from the pope. And then for the Italian cities, it all came down to money. With their already constant war with the Arabs for control over the Mediterranean, a crusade to take land from them with the help of other armies was most beneficial. They also made sure to gain what they could, financially, from the Christian armies as well by charging a great deal for there services as transports to the East.
Explain why a few Spaniards were able to conquer large numbers of indigenous. There are three main reasons why a few Spaniards were able to conquer large number of indigenous people. The first reason why the Spaniards were successful indigenous conquerors is because they took advantage of the beliefs of the Indians. The Indians at first thought of the Spaniards as “Gods,” since the Spaniards knew that they manipulated the Indians into doing what they wanted. The second reason why Spaniards were able to conquer the Indians is mainly all f the weapons they had.
The Aztecs would also “demand tribute from conquered territory,” as stated in Document 10. The Aztecs had high expectations in family life, warfare, and the treatment of those who they conquered. An additional document needed is the point of view of a ruler whose land was conquered by the Aztecs, so that we know the expectancies that the Aztecs had of them. The Aztecs were highly religious and took traditions very seriously (Documents 2, 5, 6, and 7). Their belief of their sun god, Huitzilopochtli, was no joking matter.
Caroline Sullivan English, History 10 4/29/11 The Black Plague and Social Mobility The Black Plague caused cataclysmic change to European history. Wiping out more than half of Europe, it devastated all levels of society. The early 14th century in Europe was a new age of rebirth and discovery; and disaster. The increase in exchange of people and ideas throughout the world caused more and more people to come in contact with each other, and so did their diseases. All it took was a few plague-infected fleas from Central Asia to start the chain reaction of death and terror.
Why did Cortes attack the Aztecs? I thought Cortes and Montezuma wanted to gain recognition between the two empires so Montezuma gave goods to the Spaniards. I think Cortes got greedy and wanted to take over the Aztec empire because of all the goods they were receiving. It can also be because he wanted more land and resources for
Aztec Gods were indeed imperative to the life of Aztec followers. The Aztecs believed that their lives were dependent upon the will of the various gods. The gods were often seen to be kind and loving, while others were frightening and cruel. Brought on by the fear of these various Gods and their ability to harm and benefit the individual, The Aztecs performed a variety of rituals in order to appease the Gods. At the root of these rituals was the belief that the Gods would be pleased and nourished by the heart and blood of human beings.
Trevor Mr. H HIS 155 10 October 2014 Effects of The Black Death-Analysis Paper The Black Death was a pandemic disaster that affected all aspects of life in the Middle Ages of Europe. Depopulation and shortage of labor hastened changes already inherent in the rural economy; the substitution of wages for labor services was accelerated, and social stratification became less rigid. Psychological morbidity affected the arts; in religion, the lack of educated personnel among the clergy gravely reduced the intellectual vigor of the church. After a brief respite, the plague resumed and touched almost the entire known world. The plague caused significant changes in the civilization of Europe and other surrounding communities.