1. What are some factors involved in the Spanish conquest of the New World? Cons
ID: 236741 • Letter: 1
Question
1. What are some factors involved in the Spanish conquest of the New World? Consider culture, religion, motivation, technology, and the physical realities of the Columbian Exchange. For example, the exchange of germs started as soon as Columbus landed. His sailors took syphilis back to Europe and left typhoid and smallpox behind.
2. Why did the Spanish embrace the African slave trade? It wasn't "in their culture" to have large numbers of slaves work the land.
3. What role did religion (Roman Catholicism) play in the Conquest? The Spanish imposed their religion on the people they conquered. Was that part of their culture?
Explanation / Answer
1. The factors responsible for the Spanish conquest of new world is basically religion and political ambition. Spain was a Catholic kingdom that time and they considered the expansion as their religious duty.
As mentioned in the question itself the Spanish expedition and conquest for the first time resulted in spreading of localized diseases to the world, this is basically due to the reason that the new world people were lacking imunity to the diseases.
Economic gains were main motive behind these conquests, as can be exemplified by the trade of precious metals from new world to Spain. So gold and silver were the main import to Spain.
2. Spanish embarce of slave trade is basically for slave required for farming purposes, this was done to meet the production goals, however initially it met with lot of opposition and they tried to discourage or regulate the slave trade. Slaves were also needed for raising forces and it is widely acknowledged by Spanish people that the African natives were good warriors.
In Spain slavery is not common and it was not in their culture. Slavery was introduced in Spain at the beginning of fifteen century.
3. Religion played a very significant role in the conquest of new world as the Spanish monarchy was Catholic. The role of church is evident from the proclamation made by Columbus that he wish to spread the gospel and god's power.
This in fact was the Spanish order of the day.
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