Colonial Dbq

When the English settlers began their colonization of America, they were unsure on how to approach the indigenous people. They were not prepared for a war initially, nor did they have all of the supplies required to survive. In chapter one of, Lethal Encounters Englishmen and Indians in Colonial Virginia, Albert Cave describes Sir Walter Raleigh’s decisions about the Roanoke colonial and Indian policies. Raleigh instructed the settlers to treat the Natives with ‘kindness and generosity’ (Cave, Lethal Encounters Englishmen and Indians in Colonial Virginia, pg 11). The English settlers recognized the

Leading up to the 1700’s in colonial America there were many themes that defined the time period. One of the most prominent themes is that of death. During this time period many died, both the Native Indians and the Europeans emigrating to America. There were many causes of these deaths, famine, disease, and war were some. The first major contact between the European men and the Native Americans was with the Aztecs and Hernandez Cortés. Cortés used European military technology to conquer the Aztecs. In the process of conquering the Aztecs, Cortés was aided by the introduction of smallpox into the Aztecs ecosystem. With the different goods in the western hemisphere the Columbian exchange was started. One of the items brought over to the new

The success of colonial unity depended on the scale and causes of that unity. The inhabitants of the different English colonies came from widely different backgrounds, traditions, and histories. A Virginian colonist would have a much different worldview than a colonist from Massachusetts; these differences led to disagreements and disunity. However, most colonies were exceptionally unified within themselves and most colonists did see themselves as part of a greater colonial population. Therefore, the colonists excelled at intra-colonial unity, demonstrated by the creation of numerous colonial constitutions, but struggled with inter-colonial unity, unless faced with a common enemy, due to strong cultural differences between the colonies.

When the European settlers arrived on the east coast of North America they believed that the Indians who occupied the land live a primitive life style. The Settlers felt it was up to them to develop this land and create a civilized world. From the time European colonists first arrived in North America and throughout the 1800s it was a constant battle between colonists and Indians over culture, land, and religion. The book “Red Eyes” suggest that natives understood that war would be detrimental to their existence.

And they did not have any place of authority to get to recite to treat the Natives so savagely. Though they thought to have cooperation they had to force work and slavery on the Natives so English colonists could live and thrive. And because of things like this that the settlers did their relationship with the Natives was one of hostility. From the first day of the Virginia colony the Natives attacked the settlers. The Indians were just defending their land and protecting themselves from potentially being

The early relations with the natives were a mix of cooperation and conflict. This goes back to Verrazzano reporting that the natives were willing to trade with them, but were not willing to put their trust in the Europeans. Then on the other end of the spectrum, we have Powhatan. He wanted to absorb the Europeans into their own ways through hospitality and gifts. “By 1609, [he] realized that the English intended to stay. Moreover, he was disappointed that the English did not return his hospitality nor would they marry Indian women (an affront from the Native perspective).” (Colonial Settlement)

In May, the establishment of Jamestown was founded. The men relied on the Indians for food. The settlement suffered from the “starving period” without Powhatan’s help. The settlers held Pocahontas, Powhatan’s daughter, hostage to gain the upper hand in 1613. While they held her captive, she agreed to convert to Christianity and marry John Rolfe. (Norton)

Indian Relations was one factor that caused the death of so many colonists in the early Jamestown. In early 15th century, Francis West and his group cruised up the Chesapeake harbor to attempt the exchange for grains with the Indians. They were capable to fill his trifling vessel with corns. This achievement would aid, but then it was not sufficient to last the settlers the wintertime. They finally took the corns back to England. The “Affiliation” of the Natives and settlers was apprehensive, at times unfriendly. The two philosophies were so diverse. The semantic, civilizations, and way of life, were so conflicting that none of them distinguished what to anticipate of the other. Mostly, English colonists saw the Inhabitants as uninformed heathens,

From the very first interaction, the social and political relations between the Native Americans and the Europeans had begun with much tension. Many Europeans came to the Americas with the intention of discovery. However, when it became apparent that these new lands were inhibited the motives changed, and then the natives were colonized, abused, and in many cases killed. From then and throughout the impending periods of time, the relations between the natives and the Europeans had a few points of mutual peacefulness, but were overall negative.

The European immigrants were welcomed with open arms by the Native Americans. Native tribes provided food and shelter for the Europeans and thought them how to survive on their land. Tensions were elevated between English settlers and Native Americans as more immigrants came to the US. The Native Americans were not willing to give up their land and this lead to many battles and wars, almost every colony in New England encountered a conflict with Native Americans. By the end of the 17th century, Native Americans were essentially eliminated from the Atlantic coast (Hirschfelder & Flynn,

This section highlights that history has created a false narrative depicting the natives as a victimized people, which they were to some extent but only in the fashion that they did not possess the same technology for warfare, immunity of communal diseases transmitted, and they were not anticipating combat. All other factors considered, the natives stood to be a potential threat. In regards to knowledge obtained by Spaniards prior to arrival and knowledge gained from observation, it would be remiss had they not prepared for battle. This argument is not to be misconstrued in approving their actions; I do recognize colonization as an evil for both the reasons employed and its damaging effects, but rather to change the narrative surrounding that of the native people. While they did experience a tragedy, I feel that it is erroneous to write them into history as being incompetent resulting from their

The Native American 's encounters with European colonists led to different interactions between the two, as well as a development of varied relationships. America had been home to Native Americans since around 13,000 B.C. The Europeans arrived in America around 1492 to find that the land was already inhabited. Before the Europeans arrived, the Native Americans had lived in harmony with nature and with each other in communities, having strong family ties. When the Europeans arrived, they held different values than the Native Americans. As the Europeans settled in New England, Chesapeake and New York/New France, these differences shaped the relationships between the Native Americans and the European colonists.

To better understand the conflict between the Europeans and the Native Americans, one must closely examine the state of Europe’s economy at the time. Europe struggled with difficult conditions. This included poverty, violence and diseases like typhus, smallpox, influenza and measles. There were widespread famines which caused the prices of products to vary and made life very difficult in Europe. Street crimes and violence were prevalent in cities: “Other eruption of bizarre torture, murder, and ritual cannibalism were not uncommon”.2 Europeans

From the very moment that the Europeans stepped on American soil, they displayed their extraordinary military power and savage outlook towards the native peoples. Their experience with civilized society with access to plenty of firepower gives them an advantage when it comes to military attacks, and when they use this against the Native Americans, it is almost unfair. They attack the Native Americans immediately when they step foot on US soil, and kill them as if they are trophy hunting. Barry Lopez, in The Rediscovery of North America, states about the barbaric Spanish attacks on Native Americans, “The Spanish cut off the legs of children who ran from them. They poured people full of boiling soap. They made bets as to who, with one sweep of his sword, could cut a person in half” (5). This quote shows how much power the colonists held over the Native American and how their doom was essentially inevitable. Killing the Native Americans was practically a hobby for the colonists at this point. The countless battles and land that they gained from the Native Americans also symbolized their power, such as when the Spaniards invaded the town of Acoma. They

In the 1600s, many countries separately set out in exploration for several reasons: for religious expansion and freedom, for the establishment of new land in order to accommodate for growing populations, and for an ultimate economic opportunity. While this allowed for the expansion of civilization and ideas that ultimately led to the creation of the United States, it came at the cost of the abuse and exploitation of entire populations of natives that sometimes led to their complete erasure. The natives of the land, presently known as America, claimed they were subject to these horrors for no more of a reason than fun and the benefit of the incoming colonists as a labor source. However, many colonists convey these experiences with a sort of justification that these natives were, in reality, uncivilized savages who failed to succumb to their wishes of adhering to their culture. These adverse accounts of the growth of the colonies are still heavily debated today due to the lack of truth and bias that exists within the written evidence provided by both sides. While colonist views are challenged in William Shakespeare’s The Tempest by expressing the natives in a sympathetic light, it is clearly reflected in John Smith’s General History of Virginia and A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson through the representation of natives as sadistic and inhumane creatures.