European Conquest and Native Religion

Paper Summary:

When the tidal wave of European civilization inundated the shores of the New World, more accompanied it than senseless destruction. Rather, the European deluge ushered in permanent changes in the economies and lifestyles of the Americas. This paper focuses on the disruption that the European conquerors wrought upon the Native American civilizations, which had relatively advanced religious practices.

From the Paper:

"In order to properly focus this inquiry into the religious change of the immediate post-colonial period, one must take notice of the reality of the pre-Columbian Southeast. Contrary to popular assumption, these Indians were not "savages", possessed of little formal culture. Instead, thanks to agricultural innovations several centuries in the making, the tribal groupings of the region under study were able to reap the gains that only specialized divisions of labor can bring. Since a smaller proportion of the population could now supply the community with its sustenance, resources and people were freed from strict ties to the land."

More papers on European Conquest and Native Religion:

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