Discuss The Negative Effects Of European Contact On Native Americans

European and Indian contact took place during the fifteen and sixteenth century. Columbus is said to have discovered America, but in reality he encountered America and created unequal trading of many things that were mostly advantageous to Europeans. European settlers, such as Columbus into the “New World" had a major, but mostly negative effect on the Indian populations. Columbus in the pursuit of finding new land to help Spain bring riches in order to be able to go to war with Muslims and gain back Jerusalem left poverty, domestic and drug abuse, and hopelessness among Native American communities. Contact of Europeans to the “New World” resulted in the displacement of tribes, destruction of cultures and the practice of genocidal policies

Europeans made many things available that the Indians did not have until Europeans arrived. Horses was one of the things Europeans brought which changed Native Americans lives enormously, allowing them to hunt, to travel, and trade better. They helped each other out and Indians taught Europeans how to grow crops. Europeans sometimes paid Indians to work for them by doing multiple tasks, which brought jobs for them. Trading goods such as, dishes, tools, and even guns were introduced to Indians, and Europeans were able to gain trading goods back. They also exchanged varieties of food widening their food choices for both Europeans and Indians, which for Europeans meant a more prosperous society. Some of the foods that were introduced were, corn, tomato, beans, sugar, and chocolate. Europeans also changed the way of living and clothing of Indians. Europeans and Indians change the architecture or both Spain and the

When it came to religion, the Spanish wanted to wipe out entire cultures of the Indians by forcing them to convert into Catholicism. Their whole identities, agriculture, art and food of the Mayas, Incas, and Aztecs were nearly destroyed by Europeans. In addition, The Americas produced an abundant amount of gold and silver, however, the Europeans took advantage of the cast system which showed that they were superior to Indians and that by nature they deserved to have them all. Europeans declared gold and silver as their possession and slaved Indians forcing them to find gold and silver and give it to them. The material obtained was then made into money that allowed for trade, which meant a better economy to the Europeans. They called this the start of globalization, but as everyone knows globalization has its down side. Charles started spending so much that he went into debt quickly and made Catholics go against Protestants and Muslims. Among many of the negative things that it brought, some major ones were the fall of Michigan capital of Tenochtitlan to Cortes, fall of the Inca Empire to bizarro and the death of many from diseases. The whole identities of the Incas, Aztecs, Mayans, etc. were nearly destroyed, their architecture, their art, their folklore. Even some of the foods they ate, grains like