The 12th of October 1429 was the day that Columbus discovered the native Americas. Their motive was to explore, it wasn’t to spread the word of God. Evidence shows that they conquered the Americas as a way to gain slaves instead of spreading the word of God. A quote from Columbus’s journal states 'They should be good servants .... I, our Lord being pleased, will take hence, at the time of my departure, six natives for your Highnesses.' (Plus, 2017) This shows that Columbus was not treating the people correctly. He and others weren’t giving the people a chance to choose or understand what was happening. If the people didn’t want to accept the situation they would be turned into slaves and even be killed. The Spanish people were not spreading the word of God. Instead, they were turning innocent people into slaves and taking them for granted. They used the idea of ‘converting people to Catholicism’ as a way to gain slaves for their empire. A quote from the ‘requirement’ ‘ 'We shall take you and your wives and your children and shall make slaves of them, and as such shall sell and dispose of them as their Highnesses may command; and we shall take away your goods, and shall do all the harm and damage that we can… and we protest that the deaths and losses which shall accrue from this are your faults, and not that of their highnesses, or ours' (Plus, 2017) This is another quote which shows evidence to the cruelness that they were bringing upon the innocent Americas. The Requerimiento was an informative speech that was given to the Indians. It was made to explain what they had to follow and do etc. Although they did not read it with translation. So, no one could understand what they were saying therefore they did not fully agree to anything. But the Spanish left them no choice and they had to agree to something they never understood. It would have left people with no voice to speak up and no freedom.
The Spanish conquistadors set out on a journey to invade and find new land in the Americas. One of their main motives was trade. Trade was a very important part of history. All the goods and materials that people traded have made what we have today, and how our cultures and foods are significant to certain countries. Not only were the Spanish after goods and materials, but they were also after finding a new trade route. If a country had a trade route it was an advantage for them. Other countries wanted to also control trade routes as it would provide them with benefits such as having the power to tax all traded goods. There was a time when it was dangerous to be sailing out in the ocean to other countries. Problems occurred one after the other. Pirates were invading and prices were getting higher. Christopher Columbus decided to create a new plan. He planned to create a new trade route that would go to China. In 1492 Christopher Columbus set sail to China. This new route gave the Spanish new exotic foods, spices, and silk. Although the trade routes to China and other countries gained new foods, spices, and materials it also brought along slavery. A quote from a letter that Columbus wrote states 'their Highnesses may see that I shall give them as much gold as they need…and slaves as many as they shall order to be shipped.' (Plus, 2017) These words from Christopher Columbus show that they might have gone to different countries via the trade routes and gathered as many people as they needed to be shipped to others. There were no rules set in place, so therefore it made taking people as slaves simple. The higher up you were, the more power you had over the people. Christopher Columbus and others took advantage of this and captured people from their families to be used to work for others and himself.
Save your time!
We can take care of your essay
- Proper editing and formatting
- Free revision, title page, and bibliography
- Flexible prices and money-back guarantee
The Aztecs, Mayas, and the Incas are all a part of the Indigenous tribe. When the Spanish conquered the indigenous people in 1519 and 1521 it caused the Aztecs, Maya, and Incas to lose their power and lives. The Incas lost their emperor, and the Maya civilization had died down. This caused the native people to be overpowered easily, causing them to lose the war against the Spanish. The Spanish took control, and the natives lost their power over their people. 1572 was when the Spanish Conquered the last standing group of the Inca tribe. They were located high up on a mountain which kept them safe for a while, but after time the Spanish came back and forced them to become slaves for them. They were paid little and were used for labor in the army. They were also used to create new cities and mine silver and gold. When Cortez conquered the lands, it caused different diseases to spread. Since new people were coming and going, the people brought deadly diseases with them and introduced them to the Aztecs. This caused people to die from many different unknown sicknesses. A quote from Cortez to the Aztecs says, “I and my companions suffer from a disease of the heart which can be cured only with gold.” (Oziah, 2011) This is false. A disease cannot be cured by using gold. Cortez used this as an excuse to collect gold.
Stuck on your essay?
