How did European colonizers use systemic racism to justify their cruelty to indigenous people?
A. European colonizers molded their society and institutions to benefit themselves, not others
B. European colonizers were not racist or cruel to indigenous people
C. European colonizers believed they were ''superior'' to no one, which justified their cruelty
D. European colonizers molded their society and institutions to benefit indigenous people, not others
A. European colonizers molded their society and institutions to benefit themselves, not others
European colonizers used systemic racism to justify their cruelty to indigenous people by dehumanizing and portraying them as inferior. This allowed them to justify their actions of colonization, exploitation, and displacement as a way to "civilize" or "educate" the indigenous populations. By viewing themselves as superior and the indigenous people as inferior, they believed they were justified in taking land, resources, and committing acts of violence against them. The systemic racism that was ingrained in their society and institutions allowed them to maintain power and control over indigenous populations while justifying their actions as morally correct.