Dbq Native Americans

To many of the Europeans during 1700’s Native Americans were thought of as savages, but in reality they were not. The Natives were only viewed this way because they were different from the Europeans, and the Europeans weren’t fond of things or people that were different from them. Using historical evidence and accounts from long ago you can see how the Natives were discriminated against for only reason that they were different from everybody else.
Many of the accounts told described the Native Americans being cruelly treated by the Europeans throughout the years to come after the Europeans arrived in America. For example when the Spanish first arrived from Spain they would consume “ in one day an amount of food that would suffice to feed three

houses inhabited by ten indians for one month”(De Las Casas, 89). Which proves that when they arrived the Spanish put themselves first and ate most if not all of the Indian’s food, leaving none for the Indians themselves. Soon after the Christians “attacked them with buffets and beatings, until they laid hands on the nobles of the villages”(De Las Casas, 89). In doing this the Natives now saw that the Christians had no respect for their culture or their leaders, which caused the Indians to start finding ways to get of the Christians. Others may say that it was truly the Indians who were the savages because they were not as civilized as the Europeans. The people who say this are blinded by ignorance because it was Pocahontas and her people that brought John Smith and his men “so much provision that saved many of their lives, that else for all this had starved with hunger”(Smith, ). This is just one of the many examples in which the Indians brought the Europeans food so they did not starve to death. Another example is in Alvar Núñez Cabeza De Vaca’s account when he states that “they came according to their promise, and brought us a large quantity of fish with certain roots”(The Narrative of His Journey). The Indians were so fascinated by the Europeans and their trinkets that they brought them food in exchange for hawk bells and beads. These are just a few of the many way in which the Indians helped out the Europeans, proving that they are not as savage as they are portrayed.
Indians have not only been cruelly treated by the Europeans but cruelly misunderstood.

for the sole reason that they aren’t as well educated about European life. For example in John Smith’s tale, The General History of Virginia, when he says that he gave King Pamunkee a compass and that he and his people “ marveled at the playing of the fly and needle, which they could see so plainly and yet not touch because of the glass that covered them,” but then when Smith “demonstrated by that globe-like jewel the roundness of the earth and skies, the sphere of the sun, moon ,stars, and how the sun did chase the night round about the world continually, the greatness of the land and sea, the diversity of nations, variety of complexions, and how we were to them antipodes and many other such like matters, they all stood as amazed with admiration.” This quote shows just how much the Natives didn’t really know about the sciences of the world like the Europeans did, but they were fascinated by it and wanted to learn. Another example is in The Narrative Of his journey, by Alvar Núñez Cabeza De Vaca, when he recalls that he helped the Native Americans “to understand by signs that our boat had sunk and three of our number had been drowned... The Indians, at site of what had befallen us, and our state of suffering and melancholy destitution, sat down among us, and from the sorrow and pity they felt, they all began to lament so earnestly that they might have been heard at a distance" This shows

the Native Americans kindheartedness, for it wasn’t any of their own who were killed but yet they sat down and took part in the loss and mourning of the 3 Europeans.” This helps prove that just because someone or something, whether it be a culture, group, or just a singular person, doesn’t know, believe, or agree with something you believe in, it does not give you the right to use derogatory names against them such as “savages.”
Not only in the 1700’s but throughout history the Native Americans were horribly treated because they were different from everyone else, regarding their beliefs in animism, or the ways of their culture. The Europeans were wrong in portraying the Indians as savages just because because they were different from them, but even worse they weren't the only ones. Still to this day there is hate and discrimination against certain groups for their beliefs or lifestyles from people who are not open to new ideas, or cultures.