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Cortez did treat the first nation he encountered respectfully, agreeing to help them in their war with a far more powerful nation. (Similar dynamic in North Ame

Cortez did treat the first nation he encountered respectfully, agreeing to help them in their war with a far more powerful nation. (Similar dynamic in North America, before King Philip's War, which happened because the mutual respect didn't last.) If the Europeans had decided to treat everyone with respect - "Just looking!", they would have been the only group there with any interest in doing that.

majos 9y ago
I have heard this reframed as "Cortez was actually a better politician than he was a general, unifying enough Aztec-hating factions to take down the Aztecs and then maneuver politically to the top once those factions succeeded".
wil421 9y ago
Are there any examples in history where a people were “Just Looking” and left another group alone. Makes you think aliens have probably never visited our solar system.
- JoeDaDude 9y ago
  There are some isolated incidents. One of my favorites is the English expedition to New England in 1602 led by Bartholomew Gosnold. Upon reaching the vicinity, the English were surprised to find Native Americans hailing them in a Basque fishing vessel wearing European clothes. The Indians boarded the English ship and the two groups made themselves understood through the language barrier. It turns out, the Native Americans had been trading and fishing with Europeans for years. The whole affair ended amicably with the parties going their separate ways. Primary sources exist, but here is a quick summary [1] [1] http://www.woodsholemuseum.org/oldpages/sprtsl/v16n2-Gosnold.pdf http://www.woodsholemuseum.org/oldpages/sprtsl/v16n2-Gosnold... (page 11)
- toomanybeersies 9y ago
  Arguably Abel Tasman discovering New Zeaaland fits this criteria. He sailed to NZ, and tried to go ashore to collect water, but the local Maori attacked and killed 4 of his men before they even got ashore, so he left. It was another 100 years before Captain Cook and his crew became the first Europeans to set foot on New Zealand.

majos 9y ago

I have heard this reframed as "Cortez was actually a better politician than he was a general, unifying enough Aztec-hating factions to take down the Aztecs and then maneuver politically to the top once those factions succeeded".

wil421 9y ago

Are there any examples in history where a people were “Just Looking” and left another group alone. Makes you think aliens have probably never visited our solar system.

JoeDaDude 9y ago
There are some isolated incidents. One of my favorites is the English expedition to New England in 1602 led by Bartholomew Gosnold. Upon reaching the vicinity, the English were surprised to find Native Americans hailing them in a Basque fishing vessel wearing European clothes. The Indians boarded the English ship and the two groups made themselves understood through the language barrier. It turns out, the Native Americans had been trading and fishing with Europeans for years. The whole affair ended amicably with the parties going their separate ways. Primary sources exist, but here is a quick summary [1] [1] http://www.woodsholemuseum.org/oldpages/sprtsl/v16n2-Gosnold.pdf http://www.woodsholemuseum.org/oldpages/sprtsl/v16n2-Gosnold... (page 11)
toomanybeersies 9y ago
Arguably Abel Tasman discovering New Zeaaland fits this criteria. He sailed to NZ, and tried to go ashore to collect water, but the local Maori attacked and killed 4 of his men before they even got ashore, so he left. It was another 100 years before Captain Cook and his crew became the first Europeans to set foot on New Zealand.