Spanish Perception of Native Americans

Spanish Perception of Native Americans The first Spanish perceptions of the Native Americans were not filled with acceptance, but rather the belief that the natives were manipulative and ignorant people. The overview portrays the main conflicts in the conquistadores’ goals in the Americas. Some were in search of earning great wealth and taking advantage of the Native Americans where as other conquistadores was primarily focused on their mission in bringing Christ to the natives. For both main goals of the conquistadores, neither supports the relationship that may have formed between the two groups. The overall view of the Spaniards in seek of any relationship with the natives were already below the lines of acceptance as they approached the land of Guanahani. In the passage, Christopher Columbus: FROM The Journal of Christopher Columbus (1492), the admiral who is mentioned before the excerpt from Columbus’ journal refers to Christopher Columbus himself. The main point clearly seen in the passage is that the initial intention of the Spanish towards the Americas was not focused on creating a strong relationship with the Native Americans. As cited in the passage, Spaniards were offered many goods, including a silk doublet and an annual pension paid by the King and Queen, for the first to site land. The Spanish clearly had a different motive from encountering the Native Americans, and instead desired the discovery of land and claiming it for the King and Queen. Christopher Columbus’ Journal was not only written for his own reminder of day to day occurrences, but more so for the Spanish and for history. His audience consisted of the King and Queen, so they may return the pensions and other goods as promised from their documented discovery, as well as for recorded history to which we still use today. As the first major encounter between the Spanish and the Native Americans, Christopher Columbus’ journal serves as an informative record of the first views of the