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Spanish colonization in the Americas
Spanish colonization of North America
Spanish colonization in the Americas
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Before the Spanish colonized Mexico, it was inhabited by the indigenous people like the Aztecs and Mayans. Spain had powerful armies led by Hernan Cortes, in which they were looking for new land. Along with getting resources from the land, Spain felt obligated to spread their religion of Christianity. The Spanish introduced new technology, culture, and their language to the indigenous people. The colonialization of Mexico led to the deaths and loss of some culture of the indigenous people. Despite the loss of many indigenous people during Spain’s colonization, areas in Mexico like Oaxaca, Chiapas, Veracruz, Yucatan, and Puebla, still have indigenous culture and people today. They use instruments like drums (teponaztli), maracas, conches, and flutes. Much of Mexico’s traditional music was written during and after the Spanish colonialization time range, they also used instruments that originated from Europe, Africa, and Asia. The formation of Mariachi started when the indigenous instruments were replace with Spanish instruments such as violins, harps, and brass instruments. They would be played during mass, then it developed and it would be played in weddings. At first, Mariachis mostly sang about romantic themes. But when Mexico’s economy began to worsen, they would sing about revolutionary heroes and events. Another traditional …show more content…
An emperor named Maximilian I, brought it to Mexico. He made marching bands and musicians so that they could entertain him. Polish immigrants arrived in Northern Mexico, which lead to the mixture of Polish musical culture. Norteño music is combined with Mexican and Spanish music traditions, German music styles, along with military brass band instruments. European immigrants to Northern Mexico brought a dance with them called varsovienne. This dance originated in Poland, it contains the accordion. Now, the accordion is used in every song in the Norteño
It is considered to be folk music, but by the 1800s it had become festive dance music. This music celebrates the ups, and downs for people. Today, Mariachi music is heard everywhere, and is part of the past, present, and future. Mariachi contains many Mexican traditions like the Spanish instruments, clothing, and dance style. Mariachi is also an important and fun way to study of Mexican music because it is an ensemble created during the colonial period.
From 711-1492, Christian Spaniards lived under Moorish rule until eventually, the Christian Kingdoms took over during the Reconquista. The conflicts between the Muslims and Christians created a militaristic culture in Spain that surpassed that of any other European nation. Furthermore, being trained militarily was often exclusively attributed to the nobility however, in Spain, “many young men knew these skills and used them to their advantage.” Without a doubt, recently reconquering their homeland motivated the Spanish to a basis for expansion and conquest that most other European societies were lacking. In addition, the voyages of Christopher Columbus led to discovering the New World which undoubtedly contributed to added interest in conquest. Eventually, each conquest further raised Spanish hopes for fame and
...ything and everyone that were there. At times they would work with the Natives at other times they would be at war with the natives. The Spanish had been engaged with the natives longer and over time felt the best way to control them would be to convert them or put them into same locations where they could “keep an eye on them”. The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 was proof that no matter what they tried, when one man, country, or society tries to oppress another, war is almost always inevitable.
The tradition still takes place today in many areas of Mexico. However, some parts of Mexico do the dance a little differently. The dance is more common in the central regi...
Morales, Ed. The Latin Beat: The Rhythms and Roots of Latin Music from Bossa Nova to Salsa and Beyond. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo, 2003. Print.
It was music of country people that celebrated the joys, the struggles, and the triumphs of the Mexican people. The Mariachi was a version of Spanish theatrical orchestra consisting of violins (usually two), guitars, also called “guitarron”, and a harp. The word “Mariachi” derives from the French word “wedding” or “marriage”. Music and dance were important elements of Spanish theatrical productions, enormously popular throughout the Spanish-speaking world during the colonial period. It was from this group that several of the most distinctive regional ensembles of Mexico developed, including the Mariachi. The musical form and ensemble of the Mariachi developed differently from region to region throughout time. The ensemble that is familiar today began to take shape in the nineteenth century in the state of Jalisco. In other areas such as Veracruz and Huasteca, the northeast region of the country, the ensemble evolved differently. By the end of the nineteenth century, the instrumentation consisted of the cocula or the vihuela, two violins, the guitarron, and two
When the Spaniards arrived on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico in 1519, they encountered the advanced society of the Aztecs. With Tenochititlan at its capital, the Aztec empire was vast. The Aztecs had substantial wealth from trading and extensive payments of tribute from conquered peoples. Bernal Diaz in his The Conquest of New Spain comments, "We were dazzled at the richness of the country that we passed through" (282). The Spaniards encountered a powerful, advanced people in the New World, making Cortes and his crew of approximately 600 seemingly ensured of defeat. The Aztec religion lends much to Spanish success in conquest.
During my visit, I was able to observe different dances that were very interesting. Two dances that caught my attention were the “Toro Mambo” representing the state of Sinaloa and “Payasos of Tlaxcala” representing Tlaxcala. The “Toro Mambo” from the region of Sinaloa is one of the most popular dances in Mexico. The dance is really interesting for the reason that it represents a story in where a bull would dance on a place known as the “mambo.” In this folk dance the dancer do movements at the same paste while trying to imitate how the bull would dance. In this dance the women wear long colorful dresses to represent joy and in order to move the skirts higher. In contrast, the men wear light color shirts and jeans that matches with their partner. In the other side the dance of the “Payasos de Tlaxcala” represents a story of a festival in the region of Tlaxcala. To perform this dance men and women dress like clowns in colorful outfits to amuse the people in the festival. During the dance, the dancers try to satisfy the public by putting humor in the dance and doing crazy movements. This dances are both very great and enjoyable to watch. It is amazing how you could learn so much in a little bit of time and in a beautiful art
Two of the biggest and greatest civilization in the Americas were the Aztecs and Incas. These two civilization were both said to be conquered by the Spanish, but it wasn’t just the Spanish who conquered them. These two civilizations both fell from a combination of a weak government, lack of technology, new disease introduced by the invaders, and not being prepared for the invaders. For many centuries the Aztec civilization revolved around a ideological, social, and political system in which expansion was the cornerstone. Expansion was the cornerstone of their whole civilization, because their religion requested that a large number of human sacrifices where to be made to the gods.
They were giving their pick of land and treasure since they were among the first to discover the Americas. Because of the country’s colonial expansions, Spain became a powerful empire that few dared to challenge. Spanish conquistadores attacked the South American natives with such force and power, leaving them to take whatever they wanted from the conquered peoples. All of the treasure and land that had once belonged to the Aztecs, was commandeered and given to the Spanish monarchy. Much of the indigenous records of the Aztec people were destroyed because the explorers believed that it was the work of the devil. Spaniards drew fear and terror from their opponents all over the world, giving the government supremacy over many of the surrounding
The Spaniards arrived at the Americas prior to the English. The Spanish mainly wanted to explore in the first place because after the Black Death, the population increased, and thus, so did the frequency of commerce. There was a sudden new interest in new products and the new strong monarchs who sponsored the journeys wanted to be more affluent. Therefore, explorers such as Christopher Columbus attempted to go west to target Asia. However, he ended up on Cuba and called the natives Indians. The Spanish soon started to consider the Americas less of a blockage and could now see it as a source of resources. In 1518, Cortes arrived into Mexico with his group of conquistadors, or conquerors, which is a proper name because the men after gold exterminated native areas using their military skills, brutality and greed to turn the Southern America into a vast Spanish empire. The smallpox the Spanish unknowingly carried also helped wipe many people out. When they saw the religious ceremonies of the Aztecs that produced many skulls, they thought of these people as savages and not entirely human. This of coarse was quite hypocritical because the Spanish have killed before during the Inquisition for their faith. It was this contempt that made them think it was all right to slaughter the natives. Spanish colonies were established when conquistadors had gotten a license to finance the expedition from the crown to fixture encomiendas. These encomiendas were basically Indian villages that became a source of labor. The Spanish dreamed of becoming wealthier from South America, but they also wanted a profitable agricultural economy and to spread their Catholic religion (the Pueblo Indians converted to Christianity), which became very important in the 1540s.
Mariachi is a very authentic type of music which originated from the heart of Mexico in Guadalajara. The instruments used for mariachi include the Guitarron, vihuela, violin, harp, guitar, and the trumpet. When played together, they form a beautiful music which I have come to love. In my own experience, mariachi can be a very challenging style to play, but it can also be rewarding in the end. Playing mariachi is how I became the awesome trumpet player I am today.
Many kinds of instruments are used in Ecuador, depending on the style of music. Traditional Andean folk musicians play wind instruments such as bamboo flutes, panpipes, and conch shells. Drums called bombos keep the rhythm along with maracas, which are rattles made from gourds. The wind instruments and melody of Andean music create a distinctly sad sound. When the Spanish arrived in Ecuador long ago, they brought with them stringed instruments such as guitars, mandolins, and violins. Andean musicians added these instruments to their groups. People descended from Africans settled around the coast areas in Ecuador, and African musical and dance traditions continue to bloom in the region. The marimba, an instrument from Africa, is like a xylophone made from wood pieces. It is played by striking the wooden bars with mallets. The marimba is in many types of Ecuadorian music. Bomba negra is a musical style that blends African rhythms and Andean melodies. Music from the Caribbean has also influenced Ecuadorian music. Many Ecuadorians enjoy salsa, cumbia, and merengue, popular types of Latin dance music. Nightclubs around the country burst with Latin dance sounds. Horns blare and drums add a steady beat. Rap, reggae, and Andean chill are big hits in local clubs, where young people dance the night away. Ecuadorians who enjoy Western classical music can attend regular performances by the National Symphony Orchestra in Quito at the Sucre National Theater. Ecuadoran musicians study classical music and jazz at the National Conservatory of Music in
. For example, Regaeton is a hybridization of American hip-hop containing similar messages of sex and money as the American version, yet also political messages specific to their state. Salsa, a mashup of afro-caribbean rhythms from Cuba and Puerto Rico (Manuel, 1994) originally began in the New York by Hispanic Caribbean migrants as means to hold onto national identity, however it has resisted American influence artistically even though commercially it is distributed by major American music corporations. Mexican music has gone through many transformations, Texano, Mariachi, Banda-some of these transformations can be attributed to Mexico’s shared border with the United States. When you think of Samba and Bossa Nova, Brazil is what comes to mind. However, the globalization of these two styles of music has pushed other styles of Brazilian music to the wayside into regional categories.
In the first place, Mexican food has a history that you'll never forget. In fact, some of the foods that Mexico has today is originally from Spanish. The Spanish introduced some foods to Mexico and the other way around. They introduced many of their recipes and dishes into Mexico's culture. Another example is, the first food they discovered was corn and later on the chili pepper plant . The tortillas was discovered when the corn went through the Nixtamalization system. They love the tasty richness of a good tortilla with every meal of the day.