The Aztecs Views of the Spaniards were of Amazement

Part One:

The Aztecs were taken by the fact that the Spaniards had different clothing, food, appearance, and animals then them. The Aztecs never saw iron and were surprised to see the Spaniard covered in full iron from head to toe. Also, the Aztecs were baffled by the food the Spaniards had because the food was way different. The Spaniards had food that was light, they had large quantities and the fact that the foods tasted very different from what the Aztecs were use too.

Finally, the thing that probably amazed most of the Aztecs was that the Spaniards had a different appearance than them. The Aztecs had an appearance of darker skin color and dark hair. While they saw the Spaniards with faces the color of limestone and hair that was yellow-reddish. Overall, the Aztecs were taken away by the fact that they never seen someone so different from them; in which they had many different aspects of their lives, that included their food, clothing, and appearance.

Cortés’s reaction to the Tenochtitlan and the Aztecs had him shocked. Cortes was shocked to see that the lives that the Aztecs lived were somewhat similar in ways to the Spaniard, but also had different ways of life. Cortes noticed this by, the Aztecs being in communities and the fact that they also bought and sold items such as the Spaniards. However, Cortes was dissatisfied to see that the Aztecs still had barbarous ways of living. Cortes noticed that the Aztecs still ate the remains of the deceased. Cortes wanted to change this and bring the light in that the Spaniards followed. This is by the means of protecting themselves and their property, but also showing them that there is a God.

Nzinga Mbemba is complaining to the Portuguese about the infringement that the Portuguese imposed on the Kingdom. Nzinga stated that with the allowance of the Portuguese being allowed into the Kingdom, they set up shops that infringed on the Kingdoms rules, by selling goods that were prohibited, which then spread throughout the Kingdom. Upon that the Portuguese were stealing land from the natives that resided within the Kingdom. These actions by the Portuguese posed a threat to the Kingdoms securities and beliefs they had established. Therefore, with the infringement that the Portuguese made on the Kingdom, Nzinga was requesting for their actions to stop as the Kingdom was becoming corrupted and the population was decreasing.

The Europeans threatened the Chinese in different ways. The Europeans who visited Canton for trade disobeyed the laws and had intercourse with others. The Europeans who did these actions went against the Chinese beliefs and posed a threat towards them. However, the Chinese couldn’t allow this to happen as if they did, they would lose lives throughout bloodshed, but also possibly lose the South part of their land. But that did not stop the Europeans, due to an action by Wu T’ing-Chu. The Europeans decided to start showing up on the coastlines and started to invade by creating homes for themselves while on the Chinese territory. These actions of the Europeans posed a threat to the Chinese by instilling fear into them. All in all, the Chinese just wanted to be left alone to where their laws are not being disobeyed and to the point where they could have peace once again.

Part Two:

Throughout Christopher Columbus’s “”discovery”” of America in 1492, he drastically impacted life of the Americas and overseas in Africa and Europe. During his “”discovery”” of America, Christopher Columbus affected the ecological, social, economic and political structure of America. However, his actions resulted in positive and negative consequences between America, Africa, and Europe.

Christopher Columbus’s voyage of the Atlantic Ocean in 1492 was aimed to create revenue. However, Columbus did not expect to find what he did. When Columbus arrived in America he was on a mission to claim land for Spain. Being that, Columbus encountered the natives that resided on America. They had a very different lifestyle from what Columbus knew; they spoke a different language, their appearance was different, and they were not as strong as compared to the Spaniards. With that in mind, Columbus knew he could take advantage of the natives and that is what he did.

Christopher Columbus and his crew began making multiple journeys across the Atlantic Ocean, with resources from America. The resources Columbus attained from America lead to him creating an exchange better known as the Columbian Exchange. During the Columbian Exchange, Columbus was exchanging, plants, animals, humans, cultures, technology, and ideas between America, Africa, and Europe. Columbus’s actions affected the Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans. However, it mainly benefited the Europeans and Africans, while the Native Americans were being taken advantage of.

Between America, Europe, and Africa, the Columbian Exchange impacted the ecological structure of all of these continents. America had many diverse types of plants and animals that the Europeans and Africans have never seen. The agriculture between America, Europe, and Africa blossomed because of this. Europe and Africa were bringing back the plants and animals from America to their countries, and vice versa. Due to the vast variety of new plants and animals, the Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans began adapting the new agriculture that was being exchanged into their cultures.

The social structure of America varied due to the Columbian Exchange. The Native Americans were exposed to new technology that they have never seen before; which broadened their knowledge. But of course, with the different cultures converging, the majority of the explorers were religious. This resulted in the Native Americans being introduced to different types of religions. Under, Christopher Columbus the Spanish introduced Christianity to the Native Americans. This in terms, made the Native Americans more civilized, rather than their beliefs of having many gods and sacrificing humans. As of that, Columbus began to make friends with some of the natives, which resulted in him learning about the native culture, while also informing the natives about the Spanish culture. On the other hand, the majority of the Europeans and Africans who traveled over to America wanted to improve their lives and bring over the culture and lifestyle they already knew. This was a problem, because the different powers of Europe and Africa had different beliefs. This meant the impact of their cultures being maintained varied. Each ruling power, took different pieces of land to help preserve their cultures, which helped somewhat. The different regions each ruling power went to encountered different types of natives across the region. Not all the natives they encountered were happy, as they wanted to preserve their own culture. However, the Europeans and Africans who overtook their land forced their cultures on them. This resulted in conflicts between the natives and the ruling powers. Consequently, the exchange of different cultures converging; there was a spread of disease. Most of the diseases that ravaged throughout America killed many of the natives. As the Europeans and Africans were immune to the diseases while the Native Americans were not. Over a course of time though, the Native Americans started to become immune to the diseases and eventually resulted in the decline of death.

Between both the ecological and social structure that developed over time, the economic structure benefited from it. Through the trade of the Columbian Exchange, resources from America lead to benefit Europe and Africa. This benefited them economically by allowing these continents to have power over smaller countries. It also allowed Europe and Africa to start making markets for these resources that people have never seen before, allowing them to profit greatly. With these profits, they continued to generate new ideas and create new products to sell, which helped improve life and of course the economy. Although that wasn’t happening in America; with Europe and Africa removing resources from America, America’s resources were depleting leaving them with not many resources to depend on.

Furthermore, with the travel and exchange during these times, countries began setting a foundation. The foundation they set were the ones the ruling power from their country held. Each country from Europe and Africa retained parts of areas within America, using these foundations, implementing their own self-government, such as democratic and capitalist ways. But, Native Americans and other countries were opposed to these changes because of different governmental systems, which resulted in conflicts. Over time, though countries and Native Americans began to develop their own societies and continue the lives they had.

In the end, Christopher Columbus’s “”discovery”” of America helped change the ecological, social, economic and political structures of what we know today. Although there might have been positive and negative outcomes due to actions that occurred; we have learned and developed the world as a whole due to this turning point in history.”

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