132k views
3 votes
Why did animosity develop between American Indians and Spanish missionaries in Georgia?

A.The American Indians demanded payment in return for agricultural advice and assistance.
B.The missionaries tried to force the American Indians to adopt their religion and culture.
C.The American Indians often raided the missions in order to frighten the missionaries away.
D.The missionaries encroached on American Indian religious sites without seeking permission.

1 Answer

2 votes

Final answer:

Animosity between American Indians and Spanish missionaries was primarily due to the missionaries enforcing religious and cultural changes onto the American Indians while also exploiting them for labor. Tensions were aggravated by the introduction of new diseases and the consequential demand for an African workforce. Hence, the correct answer is option .

Step-by-step explanation:

Animosity developed between American Indians and Spanish missionaries in Georgia primarily because the missionaries tried to force the American Indians to adopt their religion and culture. The Spanish established a chain of religious mission villages among the American Indian tribes such as the Guale, Timucua, and Apalachee. While these missions were created to Christianize and acculturate, they also functioned as a source of labor and a buffer between British and Spanish interests.

The Spaniards operated under the belief that native peoples would work for them by the right of conquest and, in return, they would provide the benefits of Catholicism. However, the implementation of this system was one of ruthless exploitation, diminishing American Indians' autonomy and pressuring them to abandon their religious beliefs and customs. This resulted in resistance and tensions mounting greatly between the two groups.

Furthermore, as European diseases decimated the native population and the Spanish clergy petitioned for protection against the exploitation of Indians, the demand for an African workforce rose. All these factors contributed to the frayed relationship between Spanish missionaries and American Indians leading up to and during the establishment of the Georgia colony.

User Parek
by
8.2k points