Conquistadors Quote by David E. Stannard
““The first colonial leaders, however, would have none of this. Most of them were military men, trained in the Irish wars. Whatever they thought of the Indian way of life, they never failed to regard the Indians themselves as peoples fated for conquest. As a counterweight to that relative handful of writers who were praising the native peoples and their governments, these British equivalents of the conquistadors viewed””
About This Quote
Source Book: American Holocaust, David E. Stannard, 1992
Early British colonial leaders, mostly military, saw Indians as destined for conquest, opposing writers who praised natives.
In simple terms: Colonial leaders viewed natives as conquest targets, not equals.
Key Takeaway
Recognize historical biases in colonial narratives.
Themes
colonialism
bias
history
Mood
critical
historical
Type
analytical
reflective
When to use this quote
- education curricula
- media representation
- policy making
Key Concepts
postcolonial studies
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- What motivated the supportive writers?
- How do we reconcile these opposing views?
A Different Perspective
Some leaders did support native rights, showing complexity.
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