Where can I get good information on relations between Indian women and

[GRLMGC]

Spanish men during the Spanish conquest of the Americas? I need to find out about exploitation and such during that period. If anyone can help, it would be much appreciated.

[Bullwinkle925]

1. First thing that came to my mind was the movie "Black Robe"

[GRLMGC]

3. hmmm, i'll look into that

thanks

[Bullwinkle925]

2. I also just thought of a portion of the book "Two Years Before the Mast"

that dealt with the Catholic/Indian relationships in California.

[happyslug]

4. This was NOT always a one way street

For example, Cortes when he started his conquest of Mexico Kidnapped a Native woman. This had been standard procedures for the Spanish since Columbus's Journey a generation before. The women were rarely mistreated, but taught Spanish to act as translators.

Cortes did this to whom history has given the Name "Dona Maria". She was a native of right in now Mexico but hated the Aztecs. Once she realized what the Spanish were up to she co-operated with them willingly. The problem for the Spanish was that she was more then willing to be a "Translator" for it gave her the power to spin what both Cortes and the Aztecs were saying to promote warfare between the two. At least a couple of the Massacre the Spanish did to the Aztecs can be attributed to her.

Later on as other translator came into play (and would correct her translations) she became Cortez's mistress to strengthen her hold as the primary translator for the Spanish. Cortes later abandoned her do to her double dealing (Which Cortes was fully capable of doing himself).

My comment here is watch yourself, the Native Americans were as hostile to each other as there were to the Spanish. In some ways the Cortes played on these divisions (Making the Conquest less a Conquest and more a coup in that the basic social structure stayed the same just with a Spanish head instead of a Aztec Head).

Also Small pox was a HUGE equalizers for the Spanish, killing millions of Indians before the Indians ever saw or heard of the Spanish. Small Pox was more a factor in the Conquest of Peru than Mexico, but a huge factor in the subsequent decline in the Native population in Mexico. Given that Women survive disease better than men, small pox and the other introduced European disease had an affect on Spanish men and Native Women relationships.

[GRLMGC]

5. Well I know that

but I also know that when Spanish men and Indian women had children together, the children were often illegitimate so apparently, there was no "Christian" respect for the women. Also, many were economically exploited. When Spanish men did marry Indian women, the women were often from rich families.

[happyslug]

6. And the discriminated against

Not only because they were NOT full blooded Spanish but because they were NOT born in Castille. Spanish Rule had its own rules, discriminating against people not only on who their parents were but where they were born. This is why it was the Jesuits and Franciscans that kept the Spanish empire together. Within a generation of these two groups being banned you saw the the independence of most of Spanish America. The Secular Government imposed by Spain was NEVER in complete control of Spanish America. It was the Jesuits and Franciscans that reported to Spain what was going on in the Spanish Colonies.

This started with the"Black Legend" i.e. the report on HOW bad the Spanish were treating the Natives. The Black Legend starts with a report on mis-treatment of the Natives by the Dominican friar Bartolome de las Casas, the religious (by this term I mean the Monks, Friars, nuns and Priests of the Catholic Church) tried to stop the excesses of the Spanish. Do to this good work the Religious had a good reputation in the New World until the Spanish Crown decided to secularized their lands in the mid 1700s. This was more a means to steal land for the king's favorites but it had the effect of striping the religious class of the money and ability to communicate with the Spanish Crown about what was going on it their part of the Spanish empire. Within generation New Spain had Become the Republic of Mexico, and within Two Generation no Spanish troops controlled any part of Continental North or South America (Cuba and Puerto Rico will stay Spanish till 1898 but those were islands in the New World).

Just some background on the General discrimination and Communication System of Colonial Spain in the New World.

Some background on the "Black Legend":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Legend

[WMliberal]

7. Sitting Bull or Gandhi?

:P