History 82 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History 82 - Essay Example 1. The American Indians were passive to the European attack in the beginning as they did not expect the new comers to be rivals. They believed the new people came in search of friendship and were superior to them. 2. The American Indians had ideals much different from the Europeans. They believed in sharing since they had abundance of everything. They did not see any reason to fight. They wondered why the Europeans mercilessly slaughtered the natives when there was so much available for everybody to share. Columbus rightly judged they would fall without resistance if they were attacked initially as they were very unsuspecting. 3. Once the word regarding the Spanish massacres started to spread, the American Indians started to fight against the new comers. But, they were not able to withstand the mighty armies of the Europeans and soon succumbed to them. Protests continued over centuries making the Europeans hate the Indians to the core. 4. African Americans were bought into the pictur e to work in the abducted Indian lands. What was kept common for all was made a particular communities properties and a new community which neither owned the land nor belonged to the nation was forcibly migrated there to work as slaves making their situation very vulnerable. The situation lasted for many centuries. 5. The African Americans accepted their plight due their vulnerable situation for the first few years. They started to voice their concerns in the form of rebellions and strikes after a few decades. 6. Cultural genocide was unleashed on the African Indians with the sole aim of eliminating their pride. Their children and land were abducted, families split and forced to live a secondary life in the name of civilizing them. Forced religious transformations were done to exterminate the Indians and make them follow only the European culture. The African Americans had great persistence through which they safeguarded their culture and spirituality. â€Å"Arawak men and women, n aked, tawny, and full of wonder, emerged from their villages onto the island's beaches and swam out to get a closer look at the strange big boat. When Columbus and his sailors came ashore, carrying swords, speaking oddly, the Arawaks ran to greet them, brought them food, water, gifts.† (Howard Zinn, 1) â€Å"The Indians, Columbus reported, "are so naive and so free with their possessions that no one who has not witnessed them would believe it. When you ask for something they have, they never say no. To the contrary, they offer to share with anyone...." (Howard Zinn, 5) â€Å"When a Spanish armada appeared at Vera Cruz, and a bearded white man came ashore, with strange beasts (horses), clad in iron, it was thought that he was the legendary Aztec man-god who had died three hundred years before, with the promise to return-the mysterious Quetzalcoatl. And so they welcomed him, with munificent hospitality.† (Howard Zinn, 12) â€Å"They lack all manner of commerce, neither buying nor selling, and rely exclusively on their natural environment for maintenance. They are extremely generous with their possessions and by the same token covet the possessions of then; friends and expect the same degree of liberality. ...† (As told by Las Casas)( Howard Zinn, 7) â€Å" We are unarmed, and willing to give you what you ask, if you come in a friendly manner, and not so simple as not to know that it is much better