Timia Leggett

August 21st, 2024

AMH 2010

Period 6

Chapter 1 Discussion Questions

1. The Europeans’ understanding of freedom based on ownership of private property had

little meaning to most Indian societies. What values were far more important than
individual autonomy to most Indian communities, and why?

In Indian communities' personal autonomy was not particularly important. They did not
see themselves as single people. They valued things like family, clan, agriculture and more,
which was more important to them than their individual autonomy that the Europeans cared
about. (Foner pg.3)

2. How did Native American ideas about religious beliefs differ from Europeans?

Native Americans believed that religion was not just a series of spiritual doctrines and
practices but a belief that should be rooted in every aspect of their people's lives. The natives
believed in sacred spirits and other supernatural forces that were immensely powerful and aided
in serving human interests (Foner pg.8). The Native Americans religion was inclusivist. They
accepted other religions beliefs and practices while the Europeans did not. The Europeans
believed that religion should be exclusive, which led to many misunderstandings and conflicts
amongst the Natives and Europeans (Foner pg.9)

3. How did slavery function in West African societies before the arrival of the Portuguese?
How did European involvement in the African slave trade impact West Africans?

West African slave trade started along the trans-Saharan trade network. The enslaved
people were usually war captives, criminals, or debtors. They were governed under some well-
defined rights and normally worked in the households of their owners. It was common for them
to eventually gain their freedom. (Foner pg.11) Once the Portuguese established trading with the
western coast of Africa their profits grew, and European merchants noticed. As the Portuguese
established sugar plantations, they replaced their native American populations with enslaved
Africans. Due to the Portugals growing prosperity the buying and selling of slaves accelerated
and at least 100,000 Africans were transported. (Foner pg.16)
4. Evaluate “Gold, God, and Glory” as reasons for the European conquest of the
Americas. Did one factor outweigh another in motivating the Europeans? How did
Europeans justify the conquest?

Europeans were driven by three major reasons for their conquest of the Americas. The economic
gain (Gold) the Europeans got from exploring and eventually conquering the Americas was a
major motivation. As Columbus discovered the Americas, he realized that the natives had access
to many precious metals that would increase the Europeans economic standing along trade
routes. (Foner pg.17) The Europeans also had a major desire to spread their belief of Catholicism
among the natives. They often brought religious missionaries and carried flags with an
emblazoned sign of the crossed to help teach and convert the natives to their religion. The last
motivation was the national pride and personal glory that the explorers would get from claiming
a new territory and leading the Europeans to a new time of economic prosperity. (Foner pg.18)

5. The European conquest of the New World enhanced interaction among cultures on a
global scale. Discuss how this interaction affected Europeans, Africans, and Native peoples.
Be sure to discuss the demographic consequences for Indigenous populations.

The European conquest of the New World increased global interaction across the world. After
the Europeans discovered the Americas, the Columbian exchange began, and new products were
introduced into Europe, Africa, and Asia. These products lead to economic growth and increased
power amongst these empires. Not only were new products exchanged but new diseases as well.
Europeans brought diseases with them that to the Americas that the indigenous people had never
encountered. These diseases caused a massive death rate. (Foner pg. 20)

6. Bartolomé de Las Casas became a voice of freedom for the Indians in Spanish America.
Explain what experiences motivated him to speak out. What kind of influence did his
actions exert on the Spanish, Indians, and enslaved Africans? In what sense was his
understanding of freedom limited by his background and origins?

Las Casas father sailed on Columbus’s second voyage and participated in the conquest of Cuba
but ended up freeing his own Indian slaves and beginning to preach against the injustices of
Spanish rule. Las Casas was moved by the brutal treatment of the indigenous people and
advocated for their rights. His writings brought attention to the abuses and led to reforms of
Spain's policies. He proclaimed that “The entire human race is one.” (Foner pg.24) Though his
advocacy helped the indigenous peoples his views were still Eurocentric, and he did not
recognize the right of enslaved Africans. (Foner pg.25)
7. Imagine you are an attorney accusing Spain of human rights violations in a sixteenth-
century world criminal court. Draw on this chapter’s Voices of Freedom primary source
documents, particularly the excerpt from Bartolomé de Las Casas’s History of the Indies,
to help you prepare your closing argument. What do you imagine Spain’s defense attorney
would argue regarding Spanish and Indian interactions?

Closing Argument- We are here to address the violation of human rights committed by Spain in
the 16th century which was documented by Bartolome de Las Casas. A Dominican priest who
was present when these atrocities against the Indians were committed. Las Casas writing
“History of the Indes” shows how brutally the Spanish treated the Indians. The text highlights the
severity of their suffering. The Spaniards treated the Indians as slaves deprived them of free will
and subjected them to greed and cruelty. The Spanish continued to show a complete lack of
compassion and humanity to the Indians. There actions led to countless deaths of indigenous
people. (Foner pg.30)

Spain's Defense Attorney- Spanish and Indians history is not good but the relations
between the Spanish and the Indians was complex. The Spaniards did not intend for this cruelty
to occur. In the end the Spanish realized their wrongs and outlawed Indian slavery in the empire.
The journey to fixing the relations between the Indians and Spanish is long. It has been assured
that the Indians will no longer be treated cruelly. There will be no more enslavement, war, or
mistreatment. (Foner pg.31)

8. Compare the Spanish colonies with the French and Dutch colonies. Consider factors
such as economies, freedoms, religions, government structures, and intermarriage. How
did the French and Dutch learn from Spanish experiences in the Americas?

Spanish colonies were more focused on three main things “Gold, God and Glory.” They wanted
to claim resources from the natives and convert them to their religion which was Catholicism.
They also wanted to give them a strict set of European rules to follow. (Foner pg. 18) The French
and Dutch colonies were more focused on trade (French) and Commerce (Dutch). They had good
relationships with the indigenous peoples and did not try to convert them. (Foner 33-35) The
French and Dutch learned from the Spanish how to be more flexible and compassionate when
exploring the native colonies as well as understanding when it came to learning the indigenous
people's ways of living.
9. In what ways was New France a borderland? What roles did the French settlers,
missionaries, trappers, and various Indian tribes play in the development of the
borderlands of New France?

New France is considered a borderland because of the fluid boundaries and interactions
between empires, colonists, and Native nations. Due to this constant shifting hybrid cultures
developed. (Foner pg. 40) Native nations held the power while the European empires fought
against each other. Though many laws restricted commerce between empires the traders
challenged boundaries causing people of European and native descent to marry and exchange
cultural attributes. (Foner pg. 41)

10. Use the chapter to research Native American ideas about politics, property, religion,
and freedom, and also research European ideas about politics, property, religion, and
freedom. Then discuss the impact these contrasting perspectives had and will likely have
on interactions between the Native peoples of the Americas and Western Europeans with
your table mates. Construct at least a paragraph with your findings.

Native Americans had a communal view of things. They viewed all their resources as
shared property, especially land. They had a very decentralized government with religion deeply
rooted in daily life. (Foner pg.3) The Natives had a strong religious emphasis on harmony with
nature and spiritual practices. (Foner pg.8) The Europeans had a more hierarchal and centralized
political system. Property was seen as an individual asset that was owned, bought, and sold, the
Europeans thought of it as a way to understand someone's social status. They also wanted to
convert the natives to Catholicism. (Foner pg.9) These views led to conflicts between the
Europeans and Native people of the Americas. The Europeans did not understand the Native's
way of living which caused tension between the two. Their different ways of living caused a
split, making it hard for the two to exist in the same place simultaneously.