Final answer:
The Doctrine of Discovery was a legal principle used by Europeans to justify colonial land claims based on discovery, often at the expense of Indigenous peoples' rights and sovereignty.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Doctrine of Discovery was the international legal principle used by European monarchies to legitimize the colonization of lands outside of Europe. It was predicated on the idea that lands could become the possessions of the discovering European sovereigns if they were not inhabited by Christians. It is best described by selection C: Colonial land claims based on European discovery. This doctrine justified the European powers in establishing claims to land and resources in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Australia, often ignoring the existence of Indigenous peoples or considering their sovereignty and property rights irrelevant compared to those of European Christians.
Over time, the Doctrine of Discovery had profound impacts on Indigenous rights to natural resources and land. It paved the way for the dispossession of Indigenous land and the displacement of Indigenous peoples. Indigenous groups today, declared 'domestic dependent nations' within the United States, still face challenges in maintaining their cultural practices, rights to natural resources, and sovereignty. Despite treaties and efforts by some governments to recognize Indigenous rights, many Indigenous claims to land and resources remain tenuous.
Indigenous critiques have emerged in response to the historical and continuing effects of the Doctrine of Discovery and related policies. These critiques include the opposition to the use of Indigenous names and images as mascots for sports teams, and advocacy for Indigenous self-governance as a means of preserving cultural identity and autonomy.