Assess the Annihilation of the Ingenious people of the Americas
The 16th century became a landmark in the annuls of history. Spain produced two men that the world can never forget, Hernán Cortés, born in 1485 and Francisco Pizarro born in 1470. They were without question, some of history’s greatest military leaders. Together these conquistadores did the world a terrible disservice – they caused the genocide of millions of ingenious people. On April 21st, 1519, Cortés armed with 500 men, 16 horses and 11 ships began the invasion and subsequent annihilation of the Aztecs. In December 1531 Pizzaro with 200 men, about 60 horses and cannons marched to Cajamarca – thus begun his invasion.
The ingenious people of the Americas were some of the most advanced people of that era and were they alive today, their technology would have far surpassed what we are now attempting to develop. But inspite of their advance knowledge, their were completely annihilated by the Spanish conquistadores. However, there are a number of factors which when combined, would provide the reasons for the annihilation of the ingenious people. Factors to take into account are, new diseases inadvertently introduced by the Spaniards, different technology, the religious beliefs of the Amerindians, the psychological atmosphere created by the Spaniards, the different methods of warfare, the political system for some of the ingenious people, the military strategy of the Spaniards, horses which were new to them and war dogs just to name a few. I posit that a combination of circumstances worked in the favour of the Spaniards, pivotally, that the Iberians knew the weaknesses of the Amerindians and used their weaknesses as artillery in the destruction of these cultures.
The Essay on Snowy Evening Woods Horse Man
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening " Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" is about a man who is riding through the woods on horseback. Snow starts falling and the man is caught up in the beauty of the scene. He then ponders staying put and enjoying the view for a while. Just as it seems he is convinced to stay the horse puts up a fight, awakening him from his dreamlike ...
Before the 16th century, the Mayans, Incas and Aztecs civilizations lived in what is now southern Mexico and parts of Central America. They were architects and artisans. They developed a system of hieroglyphic writing; built pyramids and temples; had a precise knowledge of astronomy and mathematics; they developed a 365 day calendar. For many centuries these civilizations lived in where we know today as Mexico, Peru, Honduras etc (South America) dwelled in peace until the arrival of the Iberians.
Although the ingenious people lived in the tropics, they were not immune to diseases, as history showed that they suffered with syphilis which was passed on the Iberians through sexual contact. Syphilis was given various names when it reached the Old World. It was called the French sickness, the Napepolitan illness, the Spanish saran, it was even called measles from the Indies (Cook, 1998).[1] As a result when smallpox was introduced to the new world, it was believed by the Spaniards to be revenge on the Amerindians. Indeed historian Francisco Lopez de Gomara[2] wrote that the “Spanish pandemic was so damaging in Mexico City that houses had to be pulled down to cover the corpses.” According to Cook, fifty years after the old world met the new, Hispaniola was devastated with de-population occurring also on the nearby islands of the Caribbean. He noted that:
“…The foreign pathogens were active, winnowing the people more quickly
than even the sword or arquebus could, and certainly much more silently
and effectively… In the second decade of the sixteenth century,
smallpox directly aided the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire…” pg 96.
He suggested that the death of a ruler and large numbers of people may have contributed to a lost of their own wills to resist the invaders. But the advent of smallpox, measles and influenza, all of which are airborne and communicable diseases had swept the new World and did a lot of damage. Although some may have gotten the influenza, they might had been able to overcome it but the flu brought various strains with it, nevertheless there is no proof that pneumonia was brought over from the old world to the new. However as for measles and smallpox, evidence shows the Spaniards brought them but for the Amerindians, they were terminal illnesses. Evidence shows that these diseases created a domino effect on the Arawaks and caused their eventual demise. Cook characterized the initial New World smallpox epidemic as “an epidemic whose influence on the history of America is as unquestionable and as spectacular as that of the Black Death on the history the Old World.” The Spaniards were definitely aided by this horrific disease, that they unwittingly brought to the New World as they had immunity but not the Aztecs. Another ‘weapon’ of the Spaniards which contributed to this great puzzle was their technology as opposed to that of the Amerindians. Yet the Amerindians had a few awesome artillery.
The Essay on Chemical Biological Warfare Weapons People Countries
Chemical & Biological Warfare Ever since the beginning of time people have used tools, which were later called weapons. People have used weapons to defend his or her life, family, property, prosperity, country, and even his honor. Over the years weapons have improved greatly and people are still trying to make them even better. In earlier times when man started using weapons they were made of ...
A very powerful weapon in the Aztec’s artillery was the spear which was thrown using the atlatl, it was capable of going more than 100 meters. The spear was placed in a groove on the atlatl, it was then securely attached to the arm. After throwing the spear, the tip of the spear (a dart) was projected out of the spear into the object. Aztec warriors continued to improve upon the atlatl through the years. These weapons became so powerful that even the Spanish conquistadors feared the Aztec’s atlatl more than any other weapon as it could easily penetrate the Spanish metal armor. The weapon was so effective that it often passed completely through the conquistador’s body.[3] After the battle was over the spear part (not the dart) could be retrieved. Other infinitesimal weapons were the bow and arrow, the knife, the blade for stabbing, the club, the sickle and an elongated rod with a blade attached to the tip.
Spain’s technology did outweigh the Amerindians’. They had the advantage of guns and gunpowder, something these people had never known of before; they used swords, lances, the crossbow, body mechanics and war dogs to defeat the indigenous people. Phillips, et al ( 1992) posited that regardless of the numbers on each side, the lack of advanced metallurgy and other technology in the new World, was to the Aztec’s determent.[4] Also the Iberians had over the years build up great confidence in ocean sailing because they had refined their navigational techniques in such a way that they could plot a course and knew they could find their way back home again. The Amerindians did not seem to improve their sailing vessels. Having never seen horses before, the Amerindians first thought that the man and animal were one and feared the men., firmly believing that the newcomers were gods and the prophesy of Quetzalcoatl was being fulfilled. The prophesy said that
The Essay on Mexico City People Cortes
The History of Mexico. When people think of Mexico they think Spanish, but that is wasn't always the way it was. For thousands of years the Spanish hadn't even heard of the New World. Or what is now known as Mexico. Various Mesoamerican tribes ruled it. There is evidence of people living in the area over 15, 000 years ago. These people were nomadic and roamed all around South America. Around 2500 ...
“…Quetzalcoatl, after teaching their ancestors the arts of life, had
departed to the east, promising to return one day. The god was represented
as a tall bearded man of fair complexion: thus when at a time which fitted
in the prophecy there arrived in floating houses beaded white men who
could tame giant deer (horses) and wielded thunder and lightning,[5]
Montezuma who at the time was priest as well as king, feared and somewhat believed the Iberians were the fulfilment of that prophesy. He thus became traumatised as he could not choose to ignore the prophesy and yet if he accepted it, it spelt doom for his people as the prophets foretold. The Aztecs believed in consulting their gods and believed that all divinations come to pass and only rarely attempt to resist the fate declared to them.[6] As a result Montezuma put up little if no resistance. Conquest came easy too, because Cortés had assistance from tribes of the Caribbean coast who were recently defeated by the Aztecs. These tribes lost their youths, virgins and goods as sacrifice to the Aztec gods. The subjected tribes were treated cruelly by the Aztec. When Cortés heard of their grievances he convinced them to join him, which they readily did.[7] But the Iberians wanted to subjugate these people also.
They were on the pretext of Christianizing the Amerindians but language barriers were a problem and showing them another way of life – that is respecting human life instead of sacrificing it, was an extremely difficult task. However, the Amerindians believe and respected the tongue so that Cortés was able to deceive them with his words and they were too naïve to believe or question it. He was thus able to turn them against each other and all the time making himself in favour with the other people
The Essay on Aztec religion
The U. S has the highest murder rate of any industrialized country in the world. Does this surprise you? Well, although it is a fact, and most people would think this is unethical. This should also be true for Aztec society. Which deserves the Greater Emphasis? Human Sacrifice, or Aztec Agriculture? I believe historians should focus more on human sacrifice because, even though the Aztecs were ...
According to history on November 15, 1532, Pizarro arrived in Cajamarc, Peru and found the country torn apart by civil war. The king of the Incas had died and never declared an heir to his throne. His two sons fought for that post. Pizarro met with Atahualpa, the older of the two brothers. A priest was sent to him informing him of the teaching of the Bible and how it applied to his life. He became very angry and threw the book to the ground suggesting, it was not speaking to him. Pizarro gave a signal and a battle ensued. As a result the Incans were attacked and Atahulpa was held in captivity but still treated as a prince. (Kirpatrick, 1934).[8]
Eventually Huascar, Atahualpa’s brother was killed to the dismay of Pizarro who then realized that it was Atahaulpa’s doing but Atahaulpa’s offered gold to Pizarro for his release and it was accepted. Even though he had paid the ransom and earned his released, he was never-the-less sentenced to death. He was assured that if he accepted baptism, he would suffer death by strangulation rather than fire. Because of prophesy that his father, the sun would resuscitate him, he chose baptism after being assured that his body would not be burnt. He was executed but his people were unhappy. Pizarro, took complete control of the country but soon realized his blunder in betraying Atahaulpa, however the deed had already been done all in the name of religion.
Religion played an important role in the conquest of the Ameridians. Both the Iberians and Amerindians had opposing views to war – war to the Amerindians was for religious reasons but to the Iberians it was for wealth any which way possible; they had the backing of the Crown. The Iberians used religion to subdue the people. Certain beliefs from the New World were also known to the Amerindians. For example, both believed in a second coming, both believed in the end times, both believed that someone would come to redeem them. So for theses reasons a number of the Amerindians were quite happy when the Iberians came and brought Christianity as it came minus the human sacrifice. The Iberians were able to infiltrate their cruelty all in the name of religion with little resistance. For them everything was done for the extraction of wealth and colonial rule.
The Term Paper on The Impact of Infectious Disease in the New World
"It is often said that in the centuries after Columbus landed in the New World on 12 October, 1492, more native North Americans died each year from infectious diseases brought by the European settlers than were born." (6) The decimation of people indigenous to the Americas by diseases introduced by European invaders is unprecedented. While it is difficult to accurately determine the population of ...
In conclusion, Cortés and Pizarro were two fearless young conquerors who used different methods of exterminating the Amerindians. Pizarro came upon a country that had a civil war going on, used it to his advantage and conquered it for Spain. Cortés was determine to conquer for Spain and in the name of religion – he did. The Amerindians were inferior in some of their technology but their social organization and religious faith was comparable with that of the New World conquistadores. However, they were no match with people who were exposed to other societies, knew how to win battles of the mind, and who had no gumption in abusing their own religion and that of the Amerindians for the sake of the Crown and wealth – the Amerindians were religious people and religion was pivotal to their society. Yet it this very reason, that their annihilation became imminent. Whether right or wrong, good or bad because of Cortés and Pizarro, western society was never the same again nor never will be.
Bibliography
Cook, Noble David. Born To Die – Disease and New World Conquest, 1492-1650. UK. Cambridge University Press. 1998
Kirkpatrick, F. A. The Spanish Conquistadores. London. A. and C. Black Ltd. 1934
López de Gómara, Francisco. Cortés: The Life of the Conqueror. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1964
Phillips, Williand, D. Jr, and Phillips, Carla Rahn. The Worlds of Christopher Columbus. New York. 1992
Todorov, Tzvetan. The Conquest of America – The Question of the Other. France: Editions de Seuil. 1982
http://www.aztec-indians.com/aztec-weapons.html
———————–
[1] Born to Die-Disease and New World Conquest, 1492-1650. pg 27
[2] Cortés: The Life of the Conqueror pg 205
[3] http://www.aztec-indians.com/aztec-weapons.html
[4] The Worlds of Christopher Columbus. pg 246
[5] The Spanish Conquistadores– The Question of the Other. pg 72
[6] The Conquest of America – The Question of the Other. Pg 66
[7] The Spanish Conquistadores. Pg 73
[8] The Spanish Conquistadores, pg 160