Lasting Effects of European Colonization on Native American Indians.

Effects of Colonisation on North American Indians

Since the Europeans set foot on North American soil in 1620,they have had a devastating effect on the native population. I will be discussing the long term effect of North American colonisation on the Native Americans, focusing on such issues as employment opportunities, the environment, culture and traditions, health, as well as social justice.

I will begin with the important issue of employment opportunities. The unemployment rate for Native Americans is a staggering 49%. The following reasons state why the unemployment rate is so high. To start with, Native Americans have been portrayed by the media (such as movies) as primitive and hostile when in fact it is quite the opposite. This created a negative image of Native Americans to American society which obviously decreased their chances of finding employment. Another reason is the discriminatory issue, which occurs not so much now, but in the past, many employers were reluctant to employ a Native American person because of their skin colour as well as their culture and beliefs. Also, most Native Americans have a much more cultural yet different skill base, therefore they have not acquired most of the skills necessary to work professionally in western society.

Native Americans have always had an immediate and dependent relationship with their surrounding environment. Prior to European contact, the pristine environment was used by Native Americans as a food source as well as a traditional place for healing. They cultivated land, were expert hunters and fishermen, skilled craftsmen, and created and sustained self-sufficient communities. All of this was occurring centuries before the Europeans arrived. Since colonisati...

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...life but also take it.

Today, Native Americans are dying of diabetes, alcoholism, tuberculosis, suicide, and other health problems at shocking rates. Compared with Anglo Americans, they have a much higher death rate and the situation is not improving.

Native Americans are amongst the most disadvantaged and poorest. They suffer the worst health conditions, receive the least educational and employment opportunities, treated unjustly by society, had their culture and traditions significantly ruined and have their much loved environment destroyed. This is the result of colonisation, disease and removal from their homeland by the European settlers. It took only three centuries for them to destroy a culture that had been in existence for more than 20,000 years, and although many groups are attempting to regain their cultural identity, it will never be the same