Comparing The Beliefs Of Native Americans And Euro-Americans

The three distinct similarities between European views of Africans and views of Native Americans were that they believed both Native Americans and Africans were a simple unsophisticated society, uncivilized savages, pagan who needed Christian teaching. Early North American travel literature portrayed the Native Americans as savage, hostile,“halfmen”, without law, religion, rulers, immortality of the soul and private property (Nash, 2007, p.42). Europeans considered themselves’ civilized compared to Native Americans due to the differences they had concerning their religious or lack of religious beliefs, their opposing view of property and the function of women in the family. Native Americans honored nature and the relationship they had with

When the colonists began to arrive in America they were surprised to find that the land was already occupied by various Natives. Because the lives of 16th century Natives was very different from what

Throughout the course of history there have been numerous accounts regarding Native American and European interaction. From first contact to Indian removal, the interaction was somewhat of a roller coaster ride, leading from times of peace to mini wars and rebellions staged by the Native American tribes. The first part of this essay will briefly discuss the pre-Columbian Indian civilizations in North America and provide simple awareness of their cultures, while the second part of this essay will explore all major Native American contact leading up to, and through, the American Revolution while emphasizing the impact of Spanish, French, and English explorers and colonies on Native American culture and vice versa. The third, and final, part of this essay will explore Native American interaction after the American Revolution with emphasis on westward expansion and the Jacksonian Era leading into Indian removal. Furthermore, this essay will attempt to provide insight into aspects of Native American/European interaction that are often ignored such as: gender relations between European men and Native American women, slavery and captivity of native peoples, trade between Native Americans and European colonists, and the effects of religion on Native American tribes.

European families always put the males first, whereas African and Native American cultures saw the woman as the symbol of family bond. The children were said to be descended through the mother’s side more than the father. Religion was somewhat similar between the Native American and African cultures where the Europeans strongly disagreed with. Africans believed that there was a center power and Native Americans believed there were several deities, where they both believed that focused on nature and the its forces. They both believed that objects (usually scared to them) held sprites of the dad and spirits that can be evil or good. On the other hand, Europeans believed that there was a single deity with written scriptures which was all run through

Europeans came to the Americas for many different reasons. Religious freedom, adventure, gold, new opportunity, and land are a few of them. Perhaps the most serious was the different way that Europeans and Native Americans thought about land. Land was extremely important to European settlers because land meant wealth, in which they established many communities where they lived and worked. Many of the settlers in the new country could have never owned land in Europe because they were too poor. The Native Americans believed that no one could own land. They

Culture, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary is stated as “The integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief and behavior that dpends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations. The customary beliefs, social forms and material traits of a racial, religious or social group. The set shared attitudes, values, goals and practices that characterizes an institution or organization. The set of values, conventions or social practices associated with a particular field, activity or societal characteristic.” Of these four definitions, I shall be focusing on the second one to discuss what makes up the culture of American Indians.The culture of the various tribes that made up the Native Americans is one of close knit families, highlyspiritual peoples and living together as one with the land they lived on. They believed in spirits, worshiping and honoring them. Some settled into single locations while others were nomadic, but all had a focus on working with the land around them. Because there are so many varying tribes that make up Native

When the british first came to america, they realised they were not the only ones there. Native americans have been here from the beginning. Once the british started colonising, Native Americans realised that they had to defend their land. Years later, during the building of the transcontinental railroad, Native Americans were again forced to defend their land. During the building of the railroad, the government made a treaty to Native Americans saying that railroad surveyor would not go onto Native AMerican land. After this treaty was put into place, one company in charge of building the railroad sent a surveyor to plan the railroad. This person went throught the unceded Native American land (Doc 2) to find a path to

Before Europeans ever ventured to North America, the land had been populated by Native American nations that had their own distinct cultures and social structures. Native Americans had trade routes and established complex relationships between tribes. They were not merely heathens waiting to be civilized by the Europeans. Yet, Europeans would use those justifications to lay claim on their land.

Governor John Winthrop’s legal and biblical justification for seizing Indian land was that they only had a natural right to it because they were there first. The Indians never legally claimed the land. 3. The main tactic of warfare used by the English against the Indians was to purposely attack innocent civilians that were not participating in the fighting. 4.

Native Americans were the first civilization in America this means that they do not know how things were made yet. That caused them to tell stories called myths about how the Earth came to be and how mountains were made. Myths got passed down from generation to generation and often got changed as the word passes on. These myths are still around and being told today but just as historical background to study them. Native American myths have common traits such as characters, morals, and the pattern of events; imply that Native Americans value land and life.

The americans wanted to expand their government, culture and christianity. When the Americans were settling on the native american lands, the natives were receiving them with kindness. The Americans believed the native americans were a form of threat to their lifestyle, culture, and religion and believed that they were savages and the americans were able to expand peacefully. This was during the

The interactions between Native Americans and Europeans were beneficial as well as detrimental for both parties. From the introduction of new crops and items to the alteration in gender roles, the clashing of two completely different cultures had a lasting impact.

How did interactions between Europeans and Native Americans shape the way each group viewed their world? How did they see each other? How did each group expect to be treated? What influenced things in this manner? What events (if any) changed their views?

The United States perspective on the Native people has drastically changed from President to President. “George Washington originally started the ‘Indian Civilization Campaign’, which encouraged the Native people to adopt Western-European culture along with Christianity.” (Sturgis, pg 5) The United States was to recognize the Native groups as the owners of the land they inhabit, with the rights to sell or retain them. This ideology was later adopted and implemented by Thomas Jefferson who believed that it was, “established by Jus gentium for America, that a white nation settling down and declaring that such and such are their limits, makes an invasion of those limits by any other white nation an act of war, but gives no right of soil against the native possessors.” (Sturgis, pg 5)

The arrival of the European colonists in New England in the 17th century pushed the Native Americans to the west and eventually sparking their demise. Intensive logging impacted their environment, epidemic diseases from Europe claimed lives of thousands of Native Americans, and the Euro-Americans simply took over regions and the land of the native community. The Native Americans were outraged by their inferiority and on the colonist’s treatment of the environment. The Chief Seattle’s 1854 Oration is a speech in response to a proposed treaty in which the Indians were persuaded to give up thousands of acres to the US government for a sum of 150,000 dollars. The Chief Seattle’s Oration is considered to be the most