Date of Award

5-1934

Degree Type

Bachelors Essay

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Department

History

First Advisor

Raphael N. Hamilton

Abstract

In the course of the centuries there have been many atrocities that stand for a mile posts along the road of history. One of these surely is the robbery by which great wealth of gold was taken by the buccaneers of Spain from the Indian civilizations of Mexico and Peru. How these briggands sacked the homes, plundered the villages is common knowledge even to the child of the primary school. The ransom of Atahuallpa, a room full of gold, is as well known to him as are his children stories. But what even the adult of today fails to see is the atrocity which was committed in the ruin of the Inca Empire. Had the Spaniards taken all the gold, and merely that, his guilt would be comparatively small, but they also stole the Indian's culture. Looking at the Inca Indian of today, lazy, ignorant, useless; and realizing the industry and thrift and the intelligence that were his four centuries ago, when Pizarro conquered Peru, one appreciates that here is a catastrophy far greater than the loss of the Inca's wealth. It is probable that the attractiveness of the "gold" gegend has drawn attention from the downfall of the Inca. Gold has the power of attraction. Even in the United States its place has been over emphasized in California and in Alaska history. However there is no excuse for history's neglect of the injustice to the Inca. The aims of this paper is in part to make right this historical oversight. Though the progress of the white man has been great, such progress in the conquest of Peru has brought about the deterioration, the covering up of a noble and powerful race which made the height of Peruvian splendor appear four centuries ago. A splendor which has not been surpassed to date. The ability in art and industry of the Inca will be revealed and archaeological and ethnological findings will be discussed. An attempt to contrast the Inca of centuries ago and the Inca of today will also be made.

Comments

A Thesis submitted to The Faculty of the College of Liberal Arts, Marquette University, in partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Philosophy.

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