"The Doctrine of Discovery (DOD) was developed by Roman Catholic Popes beginning in 1452 to justify and provide a legal basis for European Christian nations to expand their empires, take the land and resources of non-white civilizations around the world, and destroy those who would not convert to Christianity. The origins of the document can be traced to Nicholas the V’s Papal bull (official charter) which allowed Portugal to claim and conquer lands in West Africa. Alexander the VI extended the right to Spain in 1493 to conquer newly found lands and peoples through his own Papal bull, after Christopher Columbus had already begun his “explorations” in the Americas.

The following is a quote from a timeline of the Christian European Spanish barbarism that was part of the conquering and depopulating of the Americas, provided by Kenneth Humphreys.

“The plunder of the empires of the Americas was to good purpose—it allowed Spain to finance religious persecution in Europe for over a century. Spanish wars of conquest included laying waste much of the Netherlands and a disastrous attempt to invade England. By destroying diverse cultures in the New World the Christian conquerors were able not only to eradicate civilizations more ancient than their own but also were able to senselessly erase a vibrant artistic legacy and even scientific knowledge. In their stead the Christian adventurers imposed a racist tyranny….”"

Get the Story:
T. Lulani Arquette: The Sordid Influence of the Doctrine of Discovery (Indian Country Today 9/3)

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