American Indians Dbq Essay

There are many different portrayals of how the American Indians behaviors, attitudes, and how they interact with other people, changed over time. Many did not like the way the American Indians lived because it was not how they themselves lived, which was a modernized lifestyle compared to the American Indians. Historians once assumed that the American Indians once lived in an unchanging state, which was not true. This view the historians had was far too simplistic because of the fact that history shows that people’s culture is always changing.
The Natives had many different beliefs, one of them being about their god. The American Indians believe in a God by the name of Cudouagny. This God, Cudouagny, tells them the weather forecast. The Natives

explained many other things about their god, none of which were true. For example, they believe that when they die they will go to the stars and descend on the horizon like the stars. After they had heard about Cudouagny they explained to the Natives that was wrong and that Cudouagny is a wicked spirit who deceived them. They told the Natives that there is one God, who lives in Heaven. Jacques Cartier and his team shared with them about God, how he gives us all we need, and many other things. The Indians then embrace the teachings of the Gospel and share with people the good news (Document A).
George Bancroft, also known as the “father of American history”, was a great historian of his day (Document C).

He is much celebrated today as he published universally read histories on the colonial era. He became the Secretary of the Navy Bancroft in 1845, and eventually became the Secretary of war. During this time, there were countless conflicts between the government and American Indians. Bancroft states “Its only inhabitants were a few scattered tribes of feeble barbarians, destitute of commerce and of political connection.” When Bancroft says this, he is stating that the only people there were some tribes who were far spread from everything else happening. He also says that “In the view of civilization, the immense domain was a solitude.” Bancroft supports that they live in a place that was not yet populated greatly. Outside of Jamestown, no more than sixty miles outside, there were no more than five thousand people and about fifteen hundred warriors (Document C). This shows that the land was hardly populated. Conflicts arose because the American Indians inhabited the land first, so when the Europeans and others came, they wanted to take the land that belonged to the Natives. Bancroft also states “The whole territory of the clans which listened to Powhatan as their leader or their conqueror, comprehended about eight thousand square miles, thirty tribes, and twenty-four hundred warriors, so that the Indian population amounted to about one inhabitant to a square mile.” This explains how many tribes were in and around the area, also supporting and proving it was not greatly inhabited

yet.
People did not enjoy the Natives being there. The Europeans wanted the land that the American Indians settled and built their life on. But at the same time, the Natives wanted their own land for themselves because they developed it. So because of this, the Europeans did not think very kindly of the American Indians and did not agree with their ways of living.
Senator Henry L. Dawes, senator of Massachusetts, sponsored the Dawes Act of 1887. This act was passed to advocate the ideas of American Indians to the society. A few of the American Indian groups did not have to abide by this act, but eventually all the groups were required to obey this act and its amendments or any relevant laws. The Dawes Act stated that it was mandatory for lands on Indian reservations to be dispersed to other individuals, hoping they would learn how to farm using the land (Document D). He stated that “Till this people will consent to give up their lands, and divide them among their citizens… they will not make much more progress.” This quote is supporting the act and what it stands for, sharing and distributing the land around them.
James Wilson was an author who wrote multiple articles, books and documentaries. These articles, books and documentaries were about Euro-Americans impressions of the Native people. He wrote about the contrasts of the “uncivilized barbarian” and the “noble savage” perspectives of the American Indians (Document E). Wilson states that “...the whole of the North American continent was six thousand years behind European civilizations.” Showing that there were only one million Red Indians and a lot of land. There was no human residents for a lot of land.
Overall, The Europeans did not agree with the American Indians ways of living because it was not modernized. North America was not very populated when the Europeans discovered it. Because only the Natives were there, the Europeans wanted the land and but the Natives felt threatened by that. The Dawes Act was made so that people can learn how to farm. Also so that one person does not have too much land all to themselves (Document D). In conclusion, the Europeans wanted to change the ways of the American Indians so that they would be like them. Rather than them changing to be like the American Indians.
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