Communication of cultures – inevitable historical process. Great geographical discoveries led to blossoming of empires and to their death. A lot of things there was from good motives, another – in the mercenary purposes. Today it is difficult to call right and guilty, but it is possible to make small digression and to look how it was.
To understand what opening to consider big and what are not present – quite difficult. Therefore, for the sake of justice for this article the most considerable moments in world history were taken. Discovery of America, Australia and China. In these cases there were also light moments and not really. So …
As Columbus discovered India
It is worth remembering that a certain Cristobal Colon (in common people Christopher Columbus), looked for new trade ways to India. By mistake he took America for that Promised Land and even after mooring to the coast sent ambassadors with gifts to the Indian rajah. It turned out that there are neither rajahs nor Indians in India just. But in memory of it the local community began to be called Indians - striking similarity to Indians.
Thirst of gold zastit to Europeans of an eye. And satisfying led it to catastrophic consequences.
Good points: for Europeans it became access to infinite riches, cultural and scientific knowledge and expansion of the horizons of the possession. Many countries occupied colonies, were engaged in trade, export of wealth and other things. Bad points: as for "other things", planting of the European culture became for local community a shock therapy. In times konkist many tribes of Indians were destroyed completely. Others are plundered, from the third there were mentions only in reports of conquistadors. Culture alien to native Americans was by fire and sword spread. And now their remains are forced to huddle in reservations, to celebrate Day of Columbus and to hardly keep former traditions. Negatively discovery of America also influenced Europeans. Especially Spain at first rolling in the American money caused a stir in it and then, having lost sight of development of own economy, became as a result of not the richest country in the world.
And why natives ate Cook?
Contrary to established opinion, the captain Cook was only the seventh (!) seafarer, researching the smallest continent and the biggest island in the world. To him the Dutch, British and Spanish researchers who thoroughly studied the continent, made it the cards which got acquainted with the culture of natives visited here.
Contrary to popular belief of Cook ate (if at all ate) not in Australia, and on the southeast Hawaiian Islands.
Good points: Europeans brought culture to backward layers of the Australian society. The literacy extended, the new religion appeared. Geographical and ethnographic knowledge extended. Bad points: for long time Australia turned into the biggest prison in the world. Here convicts for work on mines referred. Also europeanization of Australia not always went without serious consequences. Often the local community met newcomers hostilely, and sometimes even made them by the main culinary course.
Tea and gunpowder – halaso, the white person – not really
China became known to Europeans since Marco Polo's travel. Further it had not too favorable communications with the British Empire and within the country there were constant disagreements and civil strifes.
Before arrival of Europeans gunpowder in China was used for fireworks, festivals and even as medicine. And only a small part for the military purposes.
Good points: tea, gunpowder, poetry, religion, porcelain, silk. Bad points: gunpowder in China was seldom used for war. Europeans quickly estimated its advantages and, one may say, that this loan changed the image of all planet. The influence of really catastrophic scales more than once redrawing the political map of the world. As a result we have what we have. Any geographical discovery does not remain traceless. It is important to live with lessons of the past and not to repeat them in the future.