Minst 1

Minst, Daryn
Bennett 5th
Humanities 2- GT
19 January 2016
Argument 1
With the Europeans becoming ever richer, and the indigenous
people of the New World waning in power, Natives were dying in great
numbers due to the new ideas, new diseases, and the new weapons
that the Europeans brought with them. Their migration also created
inequality between the genders, as where before in the Americas,
women were seen as equals. From the 1450s to the 1700s, the world
changed drastically, with new ideas, new weapons, and new religious
encounters. Throughout this time period, religious tolerance to these
new peoples was very low, and their religion was forcefully changed to
match their own. Religion also became a way to distinguish between
peoples and became a source of prejudice. Innovation in the ideas of
the religious duties of women was also prevalent during this time
period.
Religion became a way of distinguishing between peoples, and
gradually became a source of prejudice. Take for instance, the way that
Europeans intentionally tried to destroy the religion of Native South
Americans, to force them to choose Christianity. Once the Europeans
had begun to interact with the Natives, there was no hope left for
them; the diseases they brought began to wipe out their population,

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and the few who did survive couldnt survive on their own without
joining the European society. Their lack of available resources led to
them having to concede to the European way of life for their own to
continue. Language, religion and other kinds of common
characteristics that could be used to define the border between "us"
and "them" actually had relevant and applicable value even when
modern nations and political ethnicities had not yet originated.
(Morales 4) Once within the society, the religious practices of
Europeans became the norm for the ex-native Americans and their
religion began to fade in comparison. The forceful assimilation into
European culture caused the Native American population to lose their
distinguishing features, and blend into a mix-breed European class.
As well as losing their distinct religion, they also lost other
aspects of their culture as well. Pre-European Native Americans had set
gender roles, hierarchies, and cultural practices that were drastically
altered when colonizers arrived in The Americas. The gender roles that
had been in place had men and women equal, but with them doing
different jobs. Both roles were well-defined and were crucial to the
functioning of the society. Both men and women were well-respected
for their jobs, but that changed when settlers arrived. These colonizers
came from a society where women were seen as delicate objects that
had to be protected and could not take care of themselves. When
these people arrived to America, they were horrified to see the native

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women doing the jobs that they believed men should have been doing,
and saw the native women as barbaric and in a lower class of life than
them. A number of social norms were present in native societies,
which helped demonstrate the balance of power held between men
and women, usually both sexes have some degree of decision-making
power within the tribe. (Albers 1) Because the Europeans thought
theyre way was the right way, they forced the natives to change their
gender roles, which lead to a patriarchal society, instead of their
original equal, maybe even matriarch-based society.
The emergence of Europeans in the Americas, led to the demise
of a beautifully original and unique culture. The naturalistic culture of
the Native Americans was sacrificed to the economic opportunities
presented to the Europeans. Through the involuntary changing of the
previous religion and social traits that the natives had, the Europeans
destroyed a culture that honored the natural way of life, and
appreciated all things in nature.