How did the discovery of the Americas change Europeans sense of history?
A. It led to the belief that the purpose of history was salvation.
B. It caused Europeans to seek answers in the New Testament.
C. It had no real impact on the European view of world history.
D. It led to the Enlightenment and the idea of progress.
2006-09-28 03:35:00 · 5 answers · asked by :) 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
I think it's A and B.
A. When the first Europeans bumped into this land they thought it was India, so the people they saw were called 'Indians'. They felt it was there duty to convert them to Christianity.
B. They felt that this land was a gift from heaven, so they probably read the New Testament to 'try' to reason why they should take it from the people already there--hence, Columbus 'discovered' America when it was already inhabitated by people.
2006-09-28 04:13:36 · answer #1 · answered by Elizabeth S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've read a lot of European history and some on the philosophy of history. I think that the European sense of history was little affected by the discovery of the Americas. Or, rather, the effect was delayed. At the time of the conquest of Mexico and Peru (1521- 1530 or so), Europe was just beginning to be convulsed by the Reformation and the religious wars it caused. In addition, Turkey was swallowing large portions of southeastern Europe.
European historians already had the theory that the purpose of history was salvation (from Joachim of Flora). Europeans could find no mention of the New World in either testament of the Bible, so really the discovery of the New World challenged the authority of the Bible. That challenge grew in severity as the various sciences developed and matured. Traveller's reports and scientific descriptions of the cultures of the people in Asia especially led many thinkers to conclude that in some ways Chinese civilization was superior to that of the West. (Montaigne entertained opinions like this.) It was really the development of science that led thinkers to think that humanity was progressing towards a brighter and better future, one in which reason and science would solve all human problems and religion would fade away.
2006-09-28 11:44:55 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
"C"..
It did not change European view of world history except to add
the history of the new world as it unfolded...
2006-09-28 10:43:48 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Why do you use so many question marks?
2006-09-28 16:00:01 · answer #4 · answered by The Gadfly 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
A
2006-09-28 10:42:55 · answer #5 · answered by ZT 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋