A religious order of Roman Catholic followers who strove to spread the church's teachings throughout the world during the Age of Exploration, the Jesuits were actively engaged in missionary efforts and made contributions to the fields of education and scholarship. Some would argue that they were also responsible for the destruction of pre-existing cultural belief structures, and that they forced their views on some tribes or were indirectly responsible for their destruction or enslavement. Jesuits were very popular in South America until their expulsion in the 1870s and for a time were highly popular in China. While in China, their knowledge of cannons and calenders reversed the ancient Chinese stereotype of stupid Europeans. They were kicked out of China after their numerous corrections a