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Who were the conquistadors? |
One important to distinction to make when discussing conquistadors is Native Americans versus what would become Latin Americans. All of the people living on the land before the conquistadors invaded were native to America. America is made up of North and South America although often it is excluded to only the United States. Like the common known tribes that lived in the states, there were tribes that lived in Latin America as well. The tribes that are commonly known here are the Aztecs, Inca, and Mayans. This area and these tribes would later become Latin Americans or Latinx.
It is important to note that the people in this area had their own language, customs, and sense of religion before the conquistadors came. Today, this area is attributed with knowing Spanish and being Spanish speakers but that is because their native language was lost amid the conquering of the Spanish. The Spanish forced the indigenous people to assimilate to their way of life. Also, while slavery already existed in these empires, it was much different from the slavery that the conquistadors implemented. Along side the conquering of the people in this land, there was also a Pacific-Slave Trade. This slave trade occurred along side the Manila Galleon Trade. This was the first time having Asian/ Asian-Pacific people in the new land and it was not in a pleasant way. |