Spanish Conquistadors DBQ essays

Spanish Conquistadors DBQ essays In one of his speeches to his men, Cortez spoke of the great rewards that will come to them, his men, for their services. Without disguising it at all Cortez tells his men that they will be the richest of all men who have crossed the seas, engaging in a ... war which will bring [them] fame, and Almighty God, in whose name and faith [war] will be waged. All in the same speech, Cortez had his men understand their reasoning for being in the Americas. These motives were of Gold, God and Glory. Not a century after Columbus voyage to the Indies, the Spaniards were left without any exotic spices, flowers, etc. So they made the best of the situation and used the New World to catapult their wealth as shown by excerpts of a Spanish proclamation, Bernal Diaz and Hernan Cortez, spread the faith of the Catholic Church as emphasized by Cortez, de Sepulveda, the Pope and de las Casas, and create a name for themselves as stated by Bernal Diaz, Cortez and de Sepulveda. Spanish attitudes towards the Natives were influenced by these motives resulting mainly in cultural chauvinism and disrespect, and also protection of the Natives. Dreams of riches provided a backbone for many of Spains vie for renown in the unexplored lands, both as individuals and for their people, and often at the expense of native societies. As seen from the excerpts from a Spanish proclamation (1) to Indians, read in Spanish, the conquistadors used the excuse that if the Indians didnt convert to Christianity willingly, they would take their land, turn women and children into slaves, and obviously take their riches as well. This proclamation views the Indians as stupid and inferior to their race, it clearly showed disrespect as well as cultural chauvinism towards the natives. According to Cortez (3), a Spanish conquistador, everyone who joined him would get in return riches and gifts form the new land because, ...