Once again, these chapters provided so much interesting historical information. I can remember learning about the Aztecs, Mayans, and the Inca civilizations in grade school. I also remember learning about Christopher Columbus, his incredible discovery of America, the subsequent voyages of other explorers. However, I do not remember being taught about the abuse, exploitation and the destruction of the cultures of the native peoples. It is no wonder that many Native Americans objected to any celebration of the 500th anniversary of Columbus’s arrival to the Americas (Strayer p 403).
I have mixed feelings regarding Columbus. As an Italian American, I am proud of Columbus’ accomplishments. He had the courage to sail on unchartered waters and to explore unknown lands with tremendous risk to his own life and the life of his crew. I learned for this first time through this reading that the purpose of Columbus’ voyage in 1492 was to sail west across the Atlantic Ocean in the hopes of arriving somewhere in the East. Never realizing that he had made a mistake, I had always thought that he purposely had sailed to “discover America.” Nonetheless, there is pride in knowing that it was an Italian explorer (albeit sailing for Spain) who “discovered the Americas.”
Having said that, it is difficult for me to justify, understand, and condone the tremendous violent and aggressive behavior of our global past history when it comes to imperialism and expansionism for the sake of a deity, country, or individual. It seems as this behavior has been pervasive throughout history. I am inclined to believe that these are very strong human characteristics!!! Are there circumstances that can defend the complete destruction and annihilation of another culture or another nation? While the Spanish conquests were destructive enough to the peoples of the Americas, I can only imagine the obliteration that would have occurred if the Mongolian Empire, the Chinese Empire or the Turkish Empire would have arrived to the Americas first instead of Columbus.
It is equally difficult for me to understand the concept of slavery. Strayer indicates that of all the commercial ties that linked the early modern global network of exchange, none had more profound or enduring human consequences than the Atlantic slave trade (453). It was shocking to learn that over a 400-year period (mid-15th to the mid-19th century), the trading of humans involved the taking of 11 million people from Africa, shipping them across the Atlantic, and depositing them in Americas where their lifespans often were brief. Additionally, approximately 1.8 million slaves died during the transatlantic crossing (453). I was equally surprised to learn that the origin of the Atlantic slave trade began in the Mediterranean and with sugar production. As an adult with grown children, my family is so very important to me. I could not imagine having my husband or my children of any age captured, sold, beaten, branded and forced into labor in another country and culture thousands of miles away.
In keeping with this discussion on slavery, my naiveté shows. I did not realize how pervasive slavery was throughout our global history and throughout so many civilizations—not just the Greeks, Romans and Americans!!! It had been a long-established tradition in all of the First Civilizations. Likewise, virtually all subsequent civilizations—in the Americas (including South America), Africa, and Eurasia—practiced some form of slavery (Strayer 165). It disturbs me that the United States constantly is criticized for its slave history. Without a doubt, slavery should not have been allowed in this nation, and it was a terrible episode in our nation’s history. Today, our nation continues to move forward in recognizing the rights of all peoples, regardless of race, creed, gender, religion, or place of origin, . Notwithstanding the inhumanity of slavery, should I, as an American, be criticized for our nation’s participation in slavery, I certainly shall be better educated to respond. However, no response, in my humble opinion, justifies the ownership of one individual over another, no matter where the nation!
Interesting to Note
Initially, Slavic-speaking peoples from the Black Sea region furnished the slaves for Mediterranean plantations, so much so that “Slav” became the basis for the word “slave” in many European languages (Strayer 453).
Mulatto—Peoples of Portuguese and African descent
Mestizo—Peoples of Spanish and Indian descent
Creoles—Spanish people born in the Americas (as opposed to being born in Spain)
While I am not sure that I agree, Strayer indicates that Africans did not generally sell their own people into slavery. He indicates that those individuals who were captured and sold normally either were considered outsiders or vulnerable people who lacked the protection from an established African community (455). Really? I find that difficult to believe—12.5 million Africans did not belong to any community? Were they all prisoners of war, criminals, debtors, people who had been “pawned during times of difficulty?”
I never realized that sugar was such a tremendous commodity and found its history fascinating! Arabs introduced large-scale sugar production into the Mediterranean. The Europeans transferred sugar and its production to the Atlantic islands and the Americas. Initially, the Portuguese on the Brazilian coast dominated the world sugar market, until the British, French, and Dutch in the Caribbean undid the monopoly. Massive slave labor was used for sugar, and the Brazilians had hundreds of thousands of slaves! It is not surprising that much of Brazilian and Caribbean society is of African descent!!
Silver trade was even more important than the spice trade in creating a global exchange network and eventually became central to world trade. Most of world’s silver supply ended up in China (imagine that!).
Chapter 16 was also interesting. While I have taken two religion classes, I continue to appreciate all that I learn on religions. I do believe that in order for us to successfully co-exist as a global society, we need to understand the religious traditions of our global cultures. I read with interest the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. I know understand that the Reformation pertains to any Christian religious tradition that rejects papal authority and some fundamental Roman Catholic doctrines, such as the recognition of the saints or the veneration of the Virgin Mary. As I look at the word Protestant, in my mind I see the word protest. I wonder if Protestant comes from the protests of those who did not agree with the findings of the Roman Catholic Church.
Jesuits—Society of Jesus religious order
The section of Science and Enlightenment was very interesting. Enlightenment thinkers believed that knowledge could transform human society. Much of Enlightenment thought attacked established religions; hence, many religions feel threatened by Enlightenment. It is interesting to note that science became the most widely desired product of European culture, while Japan and the Ottoman Empire were not too interested in these ideas until later.
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