Introduction
Investigate the role of European Catholic missionaries in India, China, Japan, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Americas. From this, evaluate the impact of this effort on the political and economic structures of these lands.
As the Age of Exploration began in Western Europe, Catholic missionaries followed the explorers and spread Christianity across the globe. Missionary efforts were led by monks, particularly the Franciscans, Jesuits, and Dominicans. These groups traveled the world spreading Christianity and succeeded in creating groups of Christians all throughout the world, making the Catholic Church the first truly universal church. However, in many cases, these gains were later erased due to local pressures or influence from Protestant missionaries. With the exception of Matteo Ricci’s work in China and the introduction of some European animals and values to the Americas, there was generally little political and economic change as a direct result of missionary activity; rather, changes were a result of the new imperial influences. Both imperialists and colonists often sought to eradicate local customs—again, with the exception of China, where Ricci’s respect for Chinese traditions contributed greatly to his successes. Typically, however, countries attempted to impress their own European culture upon cultures of other continents, at best using evangelization as an excuse for conquest.
As the Age of Exploration began in Western Europe, Catholic missionaries followed the explorers and spread Christianity across the globe. Missionary efforts were led by monks, particularly the Franciscans, Jesuits, and Dominicans. These groups traveled the world spreading Christianity and succeeded in creating groups of Christians all throughout the world, making the Catholic Church the first truly universal church. However, in many cases, these gains were later erased due to local pressures or influence from Protestant missionaries. With the exception of Matteo Ricci’s work in China and the introduction of some European animals and values to the Americas, there was generally little political and economic change as a direct result of missionary activity; rather, changes were a result of the new imperial influences. Both imperialists and colonists often sought to eradicate local customs—again, with the exception of China, where Ricci’s respect for Chinese traditions contributed greatly to his successes. Typically, however, countries attempted to impress their own European culture upon cultures of other continents, at best using evangelization as an excuse for conquest.