Spain fr

Dear Diary

by Trisanth Srinivasan, Bharat Sudheer, Gautam Pangaluri, Shreyas Gajalla

November 15, 1492 12 pm We saw some kind of being in the distance of our coast and we gathered the tribesmen to discuss our actions. 1:30 pm The elders decided to welcome it with friendliness as we don't know how powerful they are nor do we desire needless violence. 2 pm It arrived on our shores and there were people inside. These people had white skin unlike us and radiated a sense of divinity, or at least some kind of spiritual powers. People as divine as them could never be harmful. November 20, 1492 6 pm It seems as if we have made the wrong decision. The people we thought of as divine beings have revealed their true colors. It turns out they are to be our masters, and some of us, shipped across the sea to some foreign colony. The people that remain are to be used as laborers in mines and plantations near us. We're now the lowest of the low on the class system with our colonizers being at the top. I talked to some of the slaves that they brought in from other tribes, it turns out that all of the other Indian tribes had also been colonized and this social structure had been utilized there too.

by Trisanth Srinivasan

Analysis: The Indians welcomed the Spanish with open arms in some cases while some tribes responded with hostility or a grudging tolerance. The people who welcomed them even thought of them as divine or at least spiritually powerful. Alas, they were still betrayed and made into slaves, sometimes shipped off to Spain or used in colonies around the Americas for labor on plantations & mines. They weren't treated well at all and a new social structure was formed with Spanish colonizers at the top and native americans and Africans at the bottom.

by Trisanth Srinivasan

December 14th, 1840I have been a slave in the Amazonias for around a month now at the horrors I have bore witness to are something that should be told. We were treated as less than human, as some kind of creature, that only existed for the benefit of our Spanish masters. It was cheaper for them to buy another one of us rather than keep us alive. This meant that it was economically beneficial for them to work us to our deaths with no remorse. I do not know when I will cease to live, but I do not know if it is worth it for me to live in these harrowing conditions.

by Trisanth Srinivasan

Analysis: The African slaves in the Spanish colonies were treated as non-human creatures, things that were only used for labor and nothing else. They had no regard for the humanity of these people as it was cheaper for people to buy new slaves rather than maintain slaves. Many African slaves were also frequently raped by their masters. They were granted no human rights, and you could do anything you would like to slaves, as long as you purchased them. They weren't permitted to marry and if they had children, they were also sold into slavert.

by Trisanth Srinivasan

Connection: The sun power rooting of the "modern contribution" in the Spanish Empire is today documented. The idea of using sun rays for the production of power was first formulated by Spanish scientist , Alexandre Edmond Becquerel in 1839, who discovered the photoelectric effect that makes use of solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity. Becquerel’s discoveries were a fundamental milestone in the development of solar technology and the solar energy as we know it today. Additionally, the advantaged position of Spain’s location in terms of sunlight with an abundance has catapulted it into the world’s leading production of solar energy. The impact of the Spanish Empire on solar energy is the foundation for the technology's development and substantial progress. It has transformed solar power into a fundamental component of the modern energy supply. I feel lucky to be born in a global community which results from the innovations and achievements of the Spanish Empire, and I hope to witness how solar energy will develop further in the future and impact our future lives.

I read that the Mexica drowned womenfrom nearby towns to appease the goddess of rain. Her temple had two shelves of skulls. My ancestors who adored the sun kept their gods close listening to their rapacious voices. In their names they perpetrated miracles and atrocities. It shouldn’t then surprise that the towns outside Tenochtitlán gave welcome to anyone who promised an end to the cruel sun the lying flowers, the waters paved with bones of tributes The Spanish god was gold and ordered them to burn Tenochtitlán sending her to reunite with the drowned maids

Title: The title "Tenochtitlan" refers to the ancient capital city of the Mexica (Aztec) civilization. It sets the stage for exploring the historical and cultural aspects of this civilization. Paraphrase: In this poem, the speaker reflects on the history of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Mexica civilization. The poem mentions the ritual drowning of women to appease the goddess of rains and the existence of a temple with shelves of skulls. The speaker also explores the contrast between the Mexica's worship of the sun and the gods and the arrival of the Hispanics, who worshiped gold and ultimately led to the destruction of Tenochtitlan. Connotation: The poem delves into the darker aspects of the Mexica civilization, highlighting ritualistic practices such as human sacrifice and the consequences of encountering the Spanish conquistadors. There's a sense of conflict between different belief systems and the impact of foreign influence on the indigenous culture. Attitude (Tone): The tone of the poem is reflective and somber. The speaker acknowledges both the wonders and atrocities committed by their ancestors. There's a sense of lamentation for the loss of Tenochtitlan and the clash of cultures. Shifts: The poem shifts from describing the Mexica's rituals and practices to the arrival of the Hispanics and their impact on Tenochtitlan. The shift underscores the contrast between the indigenous beliefs and those brought by the Spanish colonizers. Title Revisited: Upon revisiting the title, "Tenochtitlan," it takes on a deeper meaning as the poem reflects on the city's history, the clash of civilizations, and its ultimate destruction. Theme: The poem explores themes of cultural clash, the consequences of colonization, and the impact of foreign ideologies on indigenous civilizations. It touches on the destructive forces of conquest, the change in worship from traditional gods to the pursuit of wealth represented by gold, and the inevitable decline of a once-great civilization.

Works Cited: Narratives: https://www.gilderlehrman.org/ap-us-history/period-1?modal=/history-resources/essays/indian-slavery-americas#:~:text=Both%20before%20and%20during%20African,slaves%20and%20European%20indentured%20servants. https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/1492/eurocla.html https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/first-encounters-americas Poem: Chaves, Elisa| Tenochtitlan| https://ecc-poetry.tumblr.com/post/698158296822087680/ecc-poetry-worriedaboutmyfern-ecc-poetry Connections: “Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel | French Physicist | Britannica.” Www.britannica.com, www.britannica.com/biography/Alexandre-Edmond-Becquerel. Britannica. “Western Colonialism - Spain’s American Empire | Britannica.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 2019, www.britannica.com/topic/Western-colonialism/Spains-American-empire.

Thank you!