Since the beginning of humanity, conflicts such as land, religion, and wealth have all been primary factors as they distinguish and define many cultures, such as how Christianity was the driving force behind western expansion. As European countries attempted to spread their religion throughout the world the Doctrine of Discover was formed, allowing any newly discovered people, who do not practice Christianity, may be subjugated to indentured servitude. The most common people who were forced into this slavery were Native Americans. Naturally as this progressed, the indigenous people turned to their religion in order to hopefully save themselves from colonization. When more land was taken from the indigenous people, their religious locations, …show more content…
Almost 500 years ago, the Yaqui people first came into contact with whites. The Spanish conquistadors whom they met attempted to kill the Yaqui people three separate times, each failed because of the ferocity of these people. After their clash, the Yaqui people wanted to understand more about the white-man religion, Christianity. In 1617, they invited Jesuits because they wanted to understand how it made them more powerful, and how they could adopt at least some parts of this new religion. Today, the Yaqui people are very Christian, but also very native. The syncretism that these people are able to balance is amazing, even though they are not recognized as Christian where as the NAC is. One way that the Yaqui practice Christianity is with the Yaqui Easter Drama. This is an epic annual battle between the good and evil. It is a play that the Yaqui compose that incorporates the roman soldiers and conquistadors (Fariseos), Matachini Dancers who represented Mary, and lastly in relation to their indigenous religion they would have Deet and Pascola dancers and spectators. This represents the communal aspect and the thanks to being in the world that deserve their respect. This is a way that Christianity is practiced is that explains Jesus coming to destroy all of the sin in the world, so that they may continue to live in this world again. There is a lot a syncretism within the indigenous people. Whether is was imposed on them or not, the assimilation towards peace among nations is becoming a more recognized movement and one day, will be free to practice their religion on their own
The English took their land and disrupted their traditional systems of trade and agriculture. As a result, the power of native religious leaders was corrupted. The Indians we...
The small environment no longer had enough resources to sustain such a large population which motivated them to subdivide and move on. They expanded southward and eastward. They developed seasonal rounds of activity and movement. Climate change expanded the temperate forest throughout North America allowing them to become more familiar with their land. Early Americans. Soon the domestication of plants and animals established. They developed different cultures traditions diets and languages. During the late fifteenth century, Europeans developed the navigational technology and ambitions which allowed them to explore and conquer the world's seas. The Atlantic Ocean once a barrier became a bridge to vast lands and people. The Europeans traveled to the West Indies and India by traveling around Africa. The new discoveries transformed Europe into one of the most dominant continents. European Christians first felt surrounded by their Muslim neighbors. The Muslims were more a more powerful religion extended to North Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. The Europeans Christians got an opportunity to break out of the Muslim world and spread their beliefs to the newly discovered world and search for the trade riches such as gold, silks, and
In the 17th Century, widespread colonization of the new world was constantly changing the face of the Americas. European power-houses like England, France and Spain were building colonies on every coast line of the new world. The Native Americans were being forced from the lands they called home for many years, and those that wished to stay were being converted to Catholicism or other religious practices. In some parts of the Americas Native Americans were even being pressed into slavery.
The Europeans came to the Americas with an imperialistic attitude. They wanted to take over the land and they thought their goods and beliefs were better than those of the Natives. Document 7 shows that the Mother Country sent over many goods of their own for trade from the colonies. The goods from the Mother Country overpowered and took the place of the Native’s goods. Document 3 provides an example of how important the crops and other goods from the Americas were to the Europeans. By taking away many of the Native’s goods and replacing them with their own, the European’s changed life over in the America’s. Also, the Native’s had already been in the Americas for many years before the arrival of the Europeans. They had established a religion, language, and way of life. The Europeans thought they were better than the Native’s. Their main goal was to come to the New World and spread Christianity, and they were determined to do so. Document 1 explains that from the minute they arrived to the Americas, the Europeans were instilling their religion into the Native people through friendship and gifts. Not to mention, Document 6 states, “missions were built to help spread Christianity.” It also says, “missions and settlements helped spread European languages.” By looking at Latin America today we can see how much the Spanish and Portuguese has helped mold what it is
Eric Williams starts his essay by telling us about the use of Indians as slaves. He mentions that it was attempted to only enslave those Indians that didn't give up their heritage for Christianity. This brings me back to Winthrop Jordan's essay in which we recall the Christians encountering heathenism in Africa which certainly applies here:
Finally, when it came down to the types of ceremonies and views both civilizations had, they were on two different pages. The Natives believed happiness was the key to good fortune. So, in order to get that fortune, they’d do sacrifices, and rituals to please the “mighty ones”. Then, as stated in the book “A History of Latin America”, it says, “Jews publicly converted to Christianity to avoid the torture…”, In which, this showed how religion and the spiritual views were forced upon people in the Spanish civilization.
Eventually the Spanish Priests came to the Pueblo and started to set up churches and try to convert the Zuni’s to Catholicism. The Zuni’s practiced the catholic faith in a small way to appease their Spanish superiors, but this did not stop them from carrying on as usual in their own faiths practices and rituals within their own circles in their pueblos. The Zuni did not like Spanish pushing their practices and religion on them and would over time build up such resentment that other actions would have to happen.
The colonists who first arrived in America came to this land because they saw an opportunity to regenerate their religion and to live according to it without subjugation. The immense size of the land sugge...
One of those many whom roamed the land before Americans decided that they owned were the Native Americans. Many tribes had reigning governments and tribal counsels also a way of life. With westward expansion brought changes. Many Americans were killing their live stock, the food which they ate, also Americans were settling more and more on the Indians lands. In time Indians began to fight back and take what had been theirs. Once this happened the Americans decided to make the Indians like Americans, so we took their land and tried to make them Americans. But this was only one group that we affected, another was the Mexicans.
Explanation- This article gives examples of how indigenous people used to live before the colonization of Christopher Columbus. After the appearance of Christopher Columbus in Mexico different ethnic groups were distributed amongst different states along with their different languages. In the state of Oaxaca there around sixteen different ethnic groups which the Mixtecs and the Zapotecs are the two main ethnos who have continued to expand amongst the territory. During the Spanish conquest the Mixtec and the Zapotecs’ religion was mostly based on belief in the vital force that animated all living things, meaning that they worshiped the land and the creator. Throughout this day there are still indigenous people who believe and practice their ideology, and the “modernized” are set to practice Catholicism.
The European exploration and colonization resulted in commercial expansion of trade in agricultural products between Europe and America. In some time, colonization resulted in religious tolerance and representative government that have for several years encouraged similar developments in other countries. In addition, early European exploration led to redistribution of human populations as magnitude of people from Europe and Africa moved to America. Before the colonization and exploration period, the Native Americans had established a number of forms of social organization.
In conclusion, it is important to realize that it was not one single factor which was responsible for the spread of Christianity, all these figures came together to give the perfect platform for a new religion to develop, " Never before in the history of the race had conditions been so ready for the adoption of a new faith by the majority of the peoples of so large an area" (K.S Latourette).
Exploration led to colonization and was carried out for many reasons but the main reasons include religion, status, economic purposes, resources and militarily tactical purposes. Much of early colonization was for trading of raw materials between continents and countries. Dominant religions sought to spread gospel and “civilize” the indigenous people by making them conform to Western beliefs and ways. Status and recognition was also pursued by country leaders w... ... middle of paper ... ...
The First "Europeans" reached the Western Hemisphere in the late 15th century. Upon arrival they encountered a rich and diverse culture that had already been inhabited for thousands of years. The Europeans were completely unprepared for the people they stumbled upon. They couldn't understand cultures that were so different and exotic from their own. The discovery of the existence of anything beyond their previous experience could threaten the stability of their entire religious and social structure. Seeing the Indians as savages they made them over in their own image as quickly as possible. In doing so they overlooked the roots that attached the Indians to their fascinating past. The importance of this past is often overlooked. Most text or history books begin the story of the Americas from the first European settlement and disregard the 30,000 years of separate, preceding cultural development (Deetz 7).
The first Catholic priests came to South America with the conquistadors and through social and political force superimposed 16th century Catholicism upon conquered peoples and in subsequent generations upon slaves arriving in the New World. Catholicism has, likewise, frequently absorbed, rather than confronted, popular folk religious beliefs. The resulting religion is often overtly Catholic but covertly pagan. Behind the Catholic facade, the foundations and building structure reflect varying folk religious traditions. (2)