Dbq Native Americans And Spanish Conquistadors

In October of 1492, Christopher Columbus and Europeans arrived in the Americas after a long and hopeless journey. Europeans and Spaniards raided and ruined Native American culture, when they arrived in the New Land. Christopher Columbus was determined to gain fame and find gold, when he arrived in the New Land. Therefore, the Europeans and/or Spanish conquistadors mad Native Americans suffer through ways of sickness, population, and physical abuse/torture. Native Americans suffered through sickness gained from Europeans and Spaniards. “Europeans unknowingly took plants, animals, and diseases to the Americas.” (World Civilization p.806) For instance, Smallpox was a deadly disease that the Europeans brought over to the Americas which caused

“Native American Population in New Spain, 1520-1610 showed a trend of more of the population dying every year.” (Doc. 4)

Additionally, the population shrunk at a large rate from from illness, starvation, warfare, and torture, destroying many lives. “It raged among us, killing vast numbers of people.” (Doc.

One way the conquistadors harmed the Native American was by burning them alive and their homes. “Drawing of Native Americans Being Burned for Refusing to Convert to Catholicism.” (Doc. 5). Another example of European torture was forcing Native Americans along with African Americans, into slavery and labor as well as also having the mindset with racism. “Both Africans and Indians had darker skin than Europeans did. Plantation agriculture and the use of slave labor continued in the Americas until the late 1800s.” (World civilization p.811). Lastly, Columbus and Europeans would cut off certain ligaments of the Native Americans as punishment for ‘unfinished tasks’ or not receiving what they wanted from the slaves/Native Americans. “He tortured innocent Native Americans for their gold, cutting off the hands of those who refused to give up their gold, and sometimes even burning down entire villages for the precious mineral.” (sites.uab.edu). Due to the mistreatment of the Europeans to the Native Americans, the culture and population was