Cristoforo Colombo

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I agree, and I think it started right then and there. My point is that the best evidence indicates that Columbus himself wasn't involved.

I read a lovely book a couple of years ago (I can't remember the name offhand) that explained how English traders and military men tried to "free" the natives from Spanish abuses, then turned around and did the same things themselves. They didn't really care; it was just an excuse to get the natives to rebel. All they were really after was their piece of the pie.

Sadly, missionary work then was more about economics, first came explorers, soldiers, traders, then missions followed. One large recent debate I got into was how the gospel was spread based on economics, makes the more fundy believers rather upset.

However, there were some missionairies that were furious how the natives were treated and knew it would take decades if not generations to convert them, but that wasn't acceptable to the overall plan. Many of these were replaced by more political religious figures that pushed more a convert or die plan.

Ending, how can you blame the natives for refusing our culture and beliefs, we were killing them and taking all they knew, so they stuck with the old ways and most fought to their deaths through the 1800's.