Assess the Impact Europe's encounter with the 'New World' ha
Columbus's 'discovery' of America is seen as one of the most significant episode of our history. Tzvetan Todorov (the conquest of America) wrote "The conquest of America heralds and establishes our present identity" The discovery of America certainly captured the European imagination and Columbus was viewed as a hero explorer. Oviedo in his natural history of the West Indies (1526) viewed Columbus "as a brave and wise sailor, and courageous captain, he showed us to this New World, which is so full of gold that thousands of such statues could have been made out of the gold that is sent to Spain. But he is still worthy of fame and glory for having brought the catholic faith to these parts". America was viewed as hidden, in having no place in human history until being uncovered by European initiative. Possession of America was followed by the renaming of the land, European centred names were given such as New England and New Spain, this represented the feelings of superiority of the people of Europe at the time.Early European perceptions of the 'New World' in relation to other cultures can be observed by looking at how Europeans reacted to the native Arawak people. The ambivalence about America and its peoples Is displayed in t
Europe's encounter with the New World had a big effect upon how religion and authority were viewed. The discovery of America also questioned a few perceived truths, for example if the ancients (Ptoremy) got the geography of the world wrong, then perhaps the writings of the ancients could no longer claim absolute authority. The native Indians represented human nature devoid of the organising presence of Christianity. In his work Rousseau sets out to define society, he argues that at our core humans are naturally good and we can remake society according to our natural impulses, rather than a society imposed by convention. The first problems was that the discovery of America posed issues for Christianity, as the bible gave no reference to the 'New World', this was a challenge to traditional authority in the form of the classical civilisations. The central preoccupation in the sixteenth century was whether the savage was within the threshold of salvation, this would determine his degree of humanity, or sameness to us. The 'manners' and 'customs' of these people's were not experienced as being instances of primitive behaviour or instances of different cultures, as in nineteenth-century anthropology. These people raid the other islands and carry off all the women they can take. Rather their actions and behaviour were experienced as being as being manifestations of barbarism and savage degeneracy. And Europe's maps derived from Ptoremy, a Greek scholar's geography. the Carrib's eat the male children they have by them" (Alvarez Chanca, 1492)Cannibalism signified in European minds the absence of civilisation which brought humans down to beasts, the customs of the savages were not seen as something requiring explanation, they were seen as representing the 'naturally' degenerate, man in a fallen rather than a primitive form.
Common topics in this essay:
Alvarez Chanca,
America Europeans,
Ptoremy Greek,
Rousseau Discourse,
Europe European,
Rousseau America,
West Indies,
Christianity Oviedo,
Dr Oritz,
Tzvetan Todorov,
discovery america,
'new world',
'discovery' america,
native indians,
conquest america,
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Acceptance Essays
