The appeal to discover new land, expand territory, and spread religion roots itself in history. With each conquest, a destructive system of assimilation occurs as Natives were forced to abandon cultures, sacred religious ideals, and their homes. These Western European practices were falsely described as lessons of civility to help guide Natives to a better “ Christian “ way of life; juxtaposing their inhuman treatment. Whether looking at the Conquest of New Spain, Andrew Jacksons’ Indian Removal Act, or Benjamin Franklin's view on Indians, all three justify the means of conquest through the justification of the Christian faith. 

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          Bernal Diaz, the author of The Conquest of Spain, demonstrates religion as a weapon of conquest through his first hand accounts of traveling alongside the conqueror Hernando Cortes. Cortes led Diaz and his men by controlling and manipulating the spread of Christianity among the Indian culture. Cortes exploited different Indian tribes and lands to bring on the discovery of New Spain. With each expedition, Cortes influenced his fellow Spaniards these acts were humane and justified by “ truths of [their] holy religion..”... acting “ as vassals of the Emperor Charles, who has sent [them] to put an end to human sacrifices and robbery.” Cortes continued to spread a false narrative with the message with Native People, portraying himself as a missionary of good faith sent by the “ one true God”. Cortes maintained his status and influence over his men by claiming disloyalty to obey as disloyalty to God. Cortes explained “if [they] do not pay God so much honor as to stop [Indians] from making sacrifices to their idols, how can [they] ever accomplish anything worth doing?” Diaz exclaims how Cortes ordered his men to “overthrow [Indians] idols and to “be prepared to fight if they tired to prevent us...Caciques idols must come down.”

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          With little to no regard to Natives Way of living, Native Cortes’ only main objective was to gain power, fortune, and destruction of the Indian culture. Once confronted with a culture other than Christianity, judgement follows. Diaz disrespectfully describes Natives worshiping “ evil looking idols'' where they sacrificed five Indians, “ their chest had been struck open and their arms and thighs cut off, and the walls of these buildings were covered in blood. ”4 Human sacrifice not being practiced by Christianity, allowed Cortes to feel a sense of duty to correct these barbaric ways. Viewing the Native people as bloody savages, further justified Cortes’ mission to promote civility by fighting to steal land and treasures. Diaz also explains how Cortes believed “ their success, even survival, could be accounted for only the miraculous intervention of God and the Saints, who wished New Spain to be added to the realm of Christ and the Emperor Charles V.” Furthering his agenda, Cortes continued to manipulate religion by using God to defend each of the Spaindards actions. Claiming God responsible for each victory in battle and conquest of land, Cortes created an indisputable argument where anyone against him would be deemed unfaithful. Power and authority easily skews religion easily to fit the needs of those in power. 

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          Another historic example of religious hierarchy occurred during Andrew Jackson’s First annual Message to Congress. Notorious for his inhumane treatment towards Native Americans, Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the United States , stripped millions of Natives from their land and forced them Western. Upon discussion, Andrew Jackson saw his action as “good counsels, to cast off [Indian] savage habits to become an interesting, civilized citizen”. Once again, to live better life, Native Americans were forced to conform to a “Christian community”. According to Andrew Jackson, Indians were lesser than human savages, in need of help through the assimilation of Western influences. Andrew Jackson also preached the removal of Indians as advantageous as he is transforming “a few thousand savages to [their] extensive Republic, studded with cities, towns, prosperous farms, embellished with all improvements… filled with all blessings of liberty, civilization, and religion.” President Andrew manipulated the Christian faith to justify the uprooting of thousands of Indians from their homes and culture. Just as Cortes, President Jackson hid his own greed and lust for Western expansion by creating a false sense of narrative; converting Indians to a better Christian and industrial life. 

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          Seeing Native Americans as savages also goes back to the Presidency of Benjamin Franklin. In Franklin's Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America, Franklin explains how the Europeans called Indians savages because “their manners are different from ours, which we think is perfection of civility; they think the same of theirs.” Franklin is the first to acknowledge and offer perspective on the Indian culture. Christians and Indians both see differences in cultures, yet Indians are the only ones labeled as savages. Franklin further develops the viewpoint of Indians by explaining how an Indian told him“ it seems your friends have not done justice in your education, they have not done well and instructed you in the rules of common civility. You say that we, who understands and practices those rules, believed all your stories; why do you refuse to believe ours?” This highlights the arrogance and false sense of entitlement many Christians felt, believing since Christianity be the only truth. 

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          To protect and ensure the wealth, land, and powers, the Spaniards and European used Christianity as a manipulation tool to undermine the cultures of Indian people. Even though Native Americans were willing to understand and respect both cultures, in many cases they were overpowered by military presence. Religion should be respected for their differences, not forced to conform to one's view of viewing the world. The history of Native Americans serves as a lesson as what people in authority are capable of and how easily religion can be used to justify such inhumane acts.