From Protected Shelters to Towns (wk6a)

After the XVI Century the Spaniards took control of Colombia, and they began to change everything: the religions, the language, the homes, all the things that composed Colombia.

Colombia is a new thing, all was radically changed by the Spaniards: “el pueblo debia tener una iglesia, plaza, y calles bajo la administración de un cacique y su población no debía superar los 300 vecinos” Colombia imágines de su diversidad (1492 a hoy, pg 76). If the Pre-Columbians didn’t obey the rules that the Spaniards imposed, then they became outcasts.

In the New World made by the Spaniards, the Pre-Columbians couldn’t talk in their own languages and also, they couldn’t have their own religions. Although they did all of these things in their homes when the Spaniards couldn’t see: “estas decisiones hicieron que distintas comunidades quedaran sujétas a un solo dominio centrado en la ciudad con su oicota su cabildo y su iglesia, tres simbolos del poder español en America” Colombia imagines de su diversidad (1492 a hoy, pg 78).

The Spaniards began to re- distribute the territories without thinking who was the owner of those lands and if that benefited them or not: “el espacio de la ciudad se convirtió en una trampa que enjaulaba diversos modos de vivir y de ser, diversidad que solo podria ser o parecer ser a la manera del regimen español” Colombia imagines de su diversidad (1492 a hoy, pg 80).The land they distributed was selected, so they took the land that was better, and to the Pre-columbians the rest.

When the Spanirds came, they lost a lot of money, so when the came they took the gold, the emeralds, and slaves to “pay themselves for their efforts”.
“La conquista no era pues solo predicar, enseñar la lengua y la buenas costumbres, sino que ella fue ante todo robar y expoliar la presencia comunitaria para hacer rentable la presencia de los españoles en America” Colombia imagines de su diversidad (1492 a hoy, pg 84).
When Colombia was all converted into Spanish colony, the Pre-Columbians had to work very hard, they where not slaves but they had to work like if they were, they worked from 12 to 14 hours a day, and it was a hard work.


So, Colombia has changed a lot, thanks to the Spaniards, all that changed were hard to accept for the Pre-Columbians. Is like being a complete different person, with different ideals, cultures, food, etc.