History 33: When Worlds Collide

1. When Worlds Collide
By: Kanaiokalani Brown-Tagle

2. The “New World”
• Christopher Columbus mistakenly stumbled upon the Americas, thus encountering
a “New World”
• Ruben Martinez says we are less interested in the history of the Spaniards and
aboriginal peoples who suffered, but more on the “pop cultural” it has to offer
• Columbus brought back to Europe several spices and seeds that were only found in
the new world. One of which was Teocicle (corn).
• The “most important” asset he returned was were the indigenous people. They
were to be used as slaves.

3. The Rulers (King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella)
• Isabella and Ferdinand sent
Christopher Columbus was sent on
this voyage in search of gold,
expansion of land, and a shorter
trade route to other countries.
• They promised the Muslims, the
right to practice their religion
without prosecution. Sadly they
later broke their promise.
• Isabella and Ferdinand’s tomb is
located inside the Granada in Spain.
• They quickly found that religion was
a very powerful tool for their
empire. Isabella wanted to convert
all Native Americans into Christians.
If they refused they were
prosecuted to fullest extent.

4. Native Forced as Slaves to Their Land
• The Spaniards forced the natives
to dig for silver at Potosi
Mountain.
• Indigenous people believed in
Pachamama.
• Spaniards were in the process of
converting the Natives Christians,
when both came to an agreement
which allowed both religions to
convert their god into a Catholic
saint.

5. The Eventual Fall of the Spanish Throne
• Spaniards created a system for
Spaniards to maintain their wealth
and individuality.
• This caused segregation between
Mestizosand and Spaniards.
• Kinship was promoted for the
children of unions between
Spaniards and others were forced
to live under the Catholic religion.
• Phillip wanted to conquer England,
thus his desire to conquer led to
the eventual destruction of the
Spanish throne.
• Bartolome De Las Casas (left)
believed “you could save souls and
become rich.” His determination to
turn indigenous people into
Christians pushed him to become a
priest.

6. Sources
• When Worlds collide video from
blackboard link
https://socccd.blackboard.com/weba
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