The Dark Side of Colonization
The formation of colonies is interwoven with that of the new world. It is the process of furthering an empires involvement in any given region, extending the standpoint of that empire in any given region. The age of exploration begins with the simple establishment of trading routes, however this transforms into the process of colonization.
As empires grow larger, they encounter numerous issues. These issues includes managing the population of native inhabitants, most often in opposition of the exploitation these empires are making of their local regions. This management is often confrontational. It is often obliterating the local population or mobilizing them as labor– the foundation of slavery.
This process was introduced by the Spanish empire. Following the ratification of the Treaty of Tordesillas, the Spanish were inhibited unrestricted rights to the Americas, including Central America, North America and South America, with the exception of Brazil.
This begins with Christopher Columbus, who discovered Hispaniola, which is located in Central America. The native inhabitants of this region were the Taíno, who were defiant to the Spanish empire. They refused to plant the desired crops of the Spanish and in rebellion relocated from their local villages that had been captured by the Spanish. In order to manage this issue, the Spanish forced them into labor. The conditions that they were exposed to lead to their adoption of many diseases, some from Europe, as well as suicide and infanticide.
Moreover, the Spanish formed colonies in North America, however were confronted by resistance from the native inhabitants of that region, the Native Americans. The Native Americans were likewise forced into labor, resulting in the decline in their population. This was the foundation of slavery, as these Native Americans were replaced by Africans, later leading to the process known as the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Last, there were a plethora of colonies formed in South America by the Spanish Empire. In particular, the regions of Peru and Mexico were occupied by the native inhabitants of the Inca and Aztec empires, respectively. In order to colonize these regions with minimal disturbances, these people needed to be either eliminated or mobilized effectively.