Wealth over Christianity

Like many of the books that we have read this semester, Stern discusses the reasons for the Spanish Conquest in the first place. Like Clendinnen's monograph, Stern emphasized that the Spanish's goals of imperialism and wealth were masked by the "want to convert" the indigenous. He stated, "But the aura could fade, particularly if the Spaniards tried to make the transition from simple plunder to territorial occupation, and, finally, to imperial rule". (page 27).
Stern also mentioned how other Europeans began to follow in the Spanish footsteps. "The Europeans, riding the crest of Spain's explosive search for gold, territory, and Catholic salvation, wanted riches and lordship" (page 27). According to Stern (and many other scholars), the main goal of the Spanish was to become wealthy.