Christopher Columbus, America, And The Colonialization Of...

Prior to 1492, Native Americans had already migrated across North America, established complex societies, and adapted to their environments in various ways. â€Å"They live according to their whims, and in complete freedom† (Taylor 87), said a Spanish invader of the simplistic Native American lifestyle. Agricultural practices and the cultivation of maize became prominent in the American Southwest, with centrality in present-day Mexico. The advancement of agriculture grew societies economically and dramatically in population. In the Great Basin and Great Plains of North America, Native Americans who inhabited these areas adopted a nomadic lifestyle. Due to a significant lack of substantial natural resources, their daily lives were labor†¦show more content†¦This exchange sparked the establishment of America’s stable economy, which thrived and survived because of Europes institution of commerce. Before Columbus’ entrance into the Americas, Europeans were unnecessarily losing profit from trading goods imported from Asia, and islands abundant in spices like Indonesia, China, and India, due to labor intensity and distance. With access to many sea routes, such as Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea, creaky and unstable ships made safe shipment unguaranteed. Land routes, often utilized by caravans, stretched into Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, but didn’t asset Europe due to Muslim middlemen gaining profit along the routes. A historian analyzed the situation saying, â€Å"to obtain a more regular and predictable flow of wealth, the European rivals, needed their own colonies, where they might harvest precious minerals and tropical and semitropical crops..† (Taylor 66). Europeans thirsted for a profitable trade source, and the Americas were their solution. America’s crops facilitated European population growth, while America’s gold and si lver mines stimulated wealth. This â€Å"route† became a more accessible and profitable source of commerce for Europeans. Africa was soon brought into this pattern, providing access to cheap slave labor. The three continents formed an interdependent trade system. Africa contributed slaves, Europe supplied advanced technology,Show MoreRelatedCritical Analysis : Before 1492 1419 Words   |  6 Pagesquestions that are unanswered. Questioning how Columbus got â€Å"lucky† in the discovery of America or where race originated from, are some of the things I wondered as I read. Thinking about how different life could have been if even the slightest bit of history was changed is interesting. What if Africa discovered America? In the text, â€Å"Before 1492†, it states that other continents may have treated the Native Americans the same way if they came to America. Within Blaut’s text in Chapter 2, he focusesRead MoreNative American Literature King s A Coyote s Coyote1362 Words   |  6 PagesEvery culture has its traditions and folktales. Commonly, Native stories tend to make use of trickster figures to promote some sort of moral across. Coyote is one of the most frequent trickster figure amongst this narrative. This wild animal can at times be helpful, but more often than not his foolish and rash personality can meddle with the surrounding environment. Much like Zeus transformed into a swan in Leda and the Swan, Coyote could also change forms. Sometimes he’s an animal, other times he’sRead MoreOpen Veins Of Latin America By Eduardo Galeano Essay2023 Words   |  9 Pagesâ€Å"Open Veins of Latin America† by Eduardo Galeano primarily focuses on historical events following the â€Å"discovery† and colonization of Latin America. This book however, unlike many others has very distinct and contrasting ideas. I n his historical piece, Galeano incorporates many peculiar ideas that have since caused controversy following the publishing of the book in the year 1973. As we examine the cover, the subtitle (â€Å"Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent†) gives us an antecedent of our