Was America Discovered or Invaded - Essay Example

Invasion or intrusion on the other hand can basically be viewed as a forced entry or unauthorized interference with people’s way of life and introducing some new phenomenon which might violate the coexistence. Again, the subject of definition will also depend on the nature of entry and whether the locals appreciate the new phenomenon or not. Supporting Mark Twain and his observations on writing of history, arguably perceiving new ideas from the “beneficially” point of view, that is, looking at the aspects brought about by invasion rather than re-writing it from the personal or society’s achievements point of view, will make someone look at history from below.

For instance, indemnification of injustices and insults by invaders may not be mutually agreed or assented but transmitting those events in a “new perspective” to make it look like you were in control at the time will be much more satisfying. According to Dussel, “the current struggles of second emancipation in the process of liberation in a bid to restore independence through historical indemnification”, can be defined as looking history from below as majority of the oppressed were not aware of their historic relevance and course of action by then (132).

Depending on how one visualizes his current environment and how much he can influence it; through discovering and letting people around realize the new aspects of their environment, then he/she can re-write history “from above”. This is through presentation of “self-fulfilling” aspects of an event or a product from his/her understanding. Addressing issues of “I discovered, I conquered, and I evangelized from an intruder point of view, requires much subjectivity and justifications of what one has achieved to claim that.

For instance the claim that the Europeans “think” that “discovering” a new territory becomes a mere valuable object is irrational and filled with prejudice brought about by ego (128). Discovering a territory that you found habitants in does not make sense. It only makes it look more insulting and biased. The assumption of the “new territory” clicks a notion that the inhabitant were not living and if at all they were living then they did not “realize” their lives. The misconception of “civilization and evangelization” from the people who would later torture their men who tried to regain the lost independence of their oppressed people to allow women and youngsters to win the war.

Furthermore, approaching history in the discovery perspective, there are incomplete parameters in perspective dominance when writing is full of prejudice. Approaching evangelization and civilization from the insults point of view and the reprisals suffered during revolts diverts our perception on the view of our functional importance to the development of our history. Semantically approaching history from the invasion aspect will divert the appreciative aspect of the natives in realizing their relevance of making history and can result into violation of honor and reputation by over reliance on the oppression aspect.

For instance,