Throughout this course we have discussed many topics
relating to what motivated that Spanish to “conquer” Latin America. The books
that we have read all share one common theme, and that is wealth. In Peru’s Indian Peoples and the Challenges of
Spanish Conquest Stern discusses many issues in his book. The motivating
factors in sterns books are multifaceted, however one in particular stands out
wealth acquisition. GOLD, god, and glory
we have been drilled with this saying since middle school. Why is gold first?
Wealth is the primary reason the Spanish came to the Americas. They functioned
under the economic principal of mercantilism, which states that the “wealth of a nation depends on its possession
of precious metals and therefore that the government of a
nation must maximize the foreign trade surplus, and foster
national commercial interests, a merchant marine, thee
establishment of colonies.”
Claiming new territory for the crown
and converting souls to Christianity, were important. However I believe these
two factors come secondary to search for gold and sliver. The Europeans
acquired territory and salvation for the crown because they wanted riches and
lordships (27). The conquistadors knew
that they had to meet this requirement in order to get wealth. As we know form
pervious books we met, conquistadors would write probanzas de merito to the
Spanish kings claiming that they had converted savages and fully had control of
their lands. There motivation was wealth/gold. Stern best sums this up when he writes, “The
colonial ventures of Spain and Portugal created a genuine world market and
commercial system which unleashed the key drive—profit, in “money” or easily
exchangeable commodities--- which motivates capitalist production” (37). Wealth
and greed were the motivating factors that lead change and caused the social
systems to develop in Latin America.
The books that we have read in class have indeed all been consistent with the goals of the Spanish upon arriving at the new world. The impact that the Spanish had on what is now Latin America are deep and many of the social and economical reasons as to why many Latin American countries are underdeveloped and stagnant can be traced back to colonial society. The Spanish indeed wanted “God, Gold and Glory” and were the motivating factors behind the Spanish Conquest of the “new world”. That the Conquistadors were in search of personal wealth is undeniable. In Clendinnen’s Ambivalent Conquests she mentions that the upon arriving at the Yucatan Peninsula, the conquistadors were looking for “Gold” …”what made the hardships intolerable and the place and the people detestable was that there was neither gold, nor silver nor precious stones in the peninsula” (Clendinnen, 28). The quest for Aztec gold was at the forefront of the Cortés expedition and the reason why many soldiers willingly joined the campaign. If gold did not come their way then silver, textiles, jewelry and other treasures were never far from reach. Bernal Diaz, Conquistador and later chronicler of the expedition, frequently details the gifts (of varying value) offered to his party in The Conquest of New Spain. In terms of “God”, the priests and monks that accompanied the Spanish Conquistadors wanted to convert the natives to Christianity. …. “I can remind you that you are a Christian, bought by the blood of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, to who I give, and should give, infinite thanks. You have a great opportunity to serve God and the emperor, Our Lor, in the pacification and baptism of these people, and more than this [opportunity] to yleave your sins behind you, with the Grace of God, and to honor and benefit yourself” (Clendinnen, 22). In terms of “Wealth” and personal prestige and recognition, Restall argues in his book The Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest that it was the motivating factor of the exceptional men (Cortés, Pizarro and Columbus). The roots of th conquest have left a strong legacy in colonial Latin America. After the “revolutions” we only saw a shift of power between the peninsulares and the creoles, while conditions for
ReplyDeletethe mestizos and indigenous essentially remained the same.
I completely agree with your post because there was a huge greed involved in part of the Spaniards, but if you look at it closer, governance was the most important towards the end. If you look at Velázquez and Corés rivalry in Restall's book, they were both in search for the conquering license in order to get governance. Another scenario that depicts the greediness is how Pizarro had Almagro executed in 1537 and four years later Almagro's son had Pizarro assassinated.(Restall, 21) I agree it was gold that motivated the conquest of the Americas, but it later evolved into a fight for governance.
ReplyDelete