The history of the colonial conquests of the 17th century. The art of the twentieth century is often misunderstood and fascinating. It is true that many of those who moved to the colonies were themselves fleeing religious persecution, but the profound effects of these moves on the indigenous people of the colonies should not be ignored.
The religious freedom of the colonists came at the cost of the near destruction of the indigenous peoples of the New World. Entire civilizations have been destroyed by wars, diseases and famines caused by the arrival of colonizers.
Although most of these expeditions, sponsored by Western European countries, were intended for exploration, they soon took a wrong turn. What was intended as a shortcut to Asia to bypass the Silk Road and continue the spice trade became one of the greatest human atrocities to date.
Bloody history of colonization
As we all know, North and South America were the first continents discovered by Christopher Columbus, an explorer looking for a route to Asia. What he found there was an opportunity like no other.
The claim that Columbus was the first foreigner to come into contact with Native American tribes has often been debated. According to some sources, the Vikings sailed to the coast of Newfoundland several centuries before his arrival.
Settlements have been found that prove that the Vikings lived in this area for at least ten years. Many historical documents also bear witness to this expedition to the land that the Vikings called wine country because of the grapes they found there, which were not available in their native Greenland. Click on this link for more information: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15040888.
Unlike Columbus, however, they did not settle for a long time, and instead of plundering the riches of the natives, they established a trade route. One wonders why a shamefully violent tribe like the Vikings would retreat from potentially rich areas. However, during the expedition they had very few men and insufficient resources to carry out a successful conquest.
Unfortunately, when Columbus arrived in the Americas, the Europeans had outpaced the Indians in terms of technological advancement and could easily crush them with their guns. Since then, a bloody path has been taken that will leave a dark stain on the history of mankind.
While Europeans grew rich from new crops like potatoes, tomatoes and squash in the so-called Colombian barter, the indigenous tribes contracted deadly diseases like influenza, smallpox and syphilis. These are defeats that their bodies were not prepared for, and this led to a drastic reduction in their population.
Unfortunately, the same scenario repeated itself when Australia was colonized. Although many centuries have passed, there are many similarities between North and South America and the conquests of Australia. For more information, click here. You’d be surprised what happened.
Intelligence becomes a nightmare
Although the discovery of Australia was the result of a reconnaissance expedition, as in the Americas, there was no initial intention to colonize the island. The first governor to be appointed on the island was expressly charged with establishing good and friendly relations with the native Australians.
Initially, this strategy worked. The natives, described by historians as friendly and good-natured, were curious about the newcomers and eager to learn more about them. One of them, named Bennelong, even sailed to Europe as an ambassador for the Aborigines and even met King George III!
Everything changed after Britain lost control of the American colonies through the independence of the United States. They were deprived of territory and fertile land to support their crops, as well as a place to lock up Britain’s criminals.
Indeed, English criminal law relied heavily on punitive transport, punishing criminals by sending them to prisons in the colonies, far from their homes and families. It is said that this approach has been very effective in preventing crime. Many horrified at the thought of living on another continent that seemed to be a completely different planet.
Soon the initial plans for peaceful coexistence with the natives were abandoned and the British saw a country they could use instead of America. They began to transport prisoners, establish other settlements, and hunt the natives to the farthest reaches of the island.
Overkill
The colonizers, who were becoming more numerous, brought with them the same diseases that had plagued the Amerindians, with the same result for the natives. Smallpox alone killed 60% of Aborigines.
Unfortunately, the fate of indigenous Australians did not end there. In order to create a white Australia along British lines, the settlers forced the Aborigines to assimilate into a society with Western values and traditions. They have developed calculated strategies to eradicate Aboriginal culture, its art, music and history.
In one of the darkest periods of Australian history, the government even resorted to stealing children of mixed Indigenous and white descent to mold them into ideal white citizens. The pure-blooded natives, on the other hand, disappeared due to the perceived inferiority of their skin color.
This has led to the almost total disappearance of indigenous identity. Of the 250 languages that were spoken on the continent by 250 different peoples, almost 200 have completely disappeared today. Even more tragic is the loss of their history, passed on orally from generation to generation. There is currently no one who can speak about the horrors that the indigenous people of Australia have had to endure.
Countless people have suffered and are still feeling the effects of the Commonwealth and the incredibly racist policies of the Australian government. Generations of aboriginal people have been denied the opportunity to learn about their roots and culture, all in the name of profit. We must never forget the victims of this policy and we must fight every day for justice for them.
