History: Spanish Colonization of the Americas and Spanish Conquest Essay

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The Conquest and Colonization of the Caribbean and Yucatan by European,
Resulted in significant cultural, biological & environmental changes to both regions
Maggie Jim
Professor
Ancient History
[Date]

1. Briefly discuss (but in detail) the similarities/differences between the initial Spanish colonization of the Caribbean and the Yucatan. In your discussion include the initial reaction of the Taino and Maya to the presence of the Spanish and the rational for the Spanish conquest.

The Spanish colonization of the Caribbean and Yucatan was the campaign of the Spanish conquistadores against Postclassical Maya stares and polities specifically on the central Yucatan Peninsula. The Spanish …show more content…
The time of Spanish arrival, majority of Mayan states in Yucatan were ruled by prestigious dynasties which had been established in the wake of the 15th century (Coe, M. 2002). The Spanish succeeded in gaining an alliance with the ruling dynasties while other competing Mayan states resisted.

The Maya and the Taino were able to continue with some of their cultural practices of having their social mobility, living in extended family groups and houses were built similar to the open plaza space. Mayan society continues to practice their patrilineal and patriarchal form leading the society along one line of kinship (Gill, R. 2000). The religious aspect of Mayan was structured and significant and based on their literacy level whereas the Tainos didn’t. The Taino’s political structure was governed by a leader called a Cacique whom they believed to God’s living representative on earth. The leader’s opinions were not queried and hereby accepted blindly by their followers. Typically, their leader is female with matrilineal family blood line in reference to their view that the life is female in origin. 3. Through comparison of cultural behavior, discuss in detail at least 3 significant similarities shared by Spanish and the Maya and at least one example of the blending of culture between the Spanish and the Taino.

The Spanish conquest of Mayan empire resulted to significant similarities in some aspects of their cultural behavior. The religious
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