Aspects of the missionaries’ role witin the policy of indian assimilation in Brazil and the United States 16th-mid-19th centuries

Key Points

• The study examines the role of missionaries in shaping assimilation policies for Indigenous peoples in Brazil and the United States during the colonial period.
• Historical analysis of missionary activities and policies from the 16th to mid-19th centuries.
• Comparison of assimilation strategies in Brazil and the United States.
• Review of primary and secondary historical documents.
• Missionaries played a crucial role in developing policies that promoted the cultural integration of Indigenous peoples.
• Assimilation efforts in Brazil were often more focused on cultural adaptation than in the United States, which emphasized more direct conversion to Christianity.
• The influence of missionaries varied significantly based on regional and cultural contexts.