In the introduction of “A Land So Strange” author Andres Resendez informs the reader of an incredible journey made by Cabeza de Vaca, Estebanico (an enslaved African American), and two other Spaniards. After Cabeza de Vaca and Estabanico are discovered by European horsemen, their story of survival becomes a famous story in America and Europe. The tale has become less known due to its difficulty to read and because of this, Andres Resendez decides to highlight the importance of this long lost tale in a simpler way while staying true to the facts. I do find this introduction quite persuasive because the author explains how imperative this story is to history. He expresses how Cabeza’s account is a significant due to the early encounters with Native Americans before and during their population decline. The story offers key information on the new world’s culture, land, and societies.  Resendez uses evidence form Cabeza’s narrative, the Joint Report, and the work of fellow chronicler Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo.

The article, “Creolization in the Americas” by David Buisseret highlights the word ‘creolization’ to describe the integration of different cultures and people. I find his text very persuasive because he continuously disagrees with the terms ‘assimilation’ and ‘acculturation’ which portrays one culture integrated into another dominant culture. Buisseret uses over 33 sources to support his argument. One example of his sources would be from author, Franics Jennings who offers a model including ix phases of an encounter of two cultures. Jennings evidence shifts attention away from the initial contacts between two groups and emphasizes that the creolization continues over a long term to affect both groups.