Native American Contributions

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European, African and Native American contributions had significant contributions to the history of early American. From the 1500s through 1814, these three groups contributed to the highs and lows that the region had to go through before it became known as the United States. The Europeans contributed to the idea of colonization, independence, limited government, slavery, indentured servitude and trading. The Africans contributed to agriculture or farming, culture, trading and the fight for equality. The Native Americans contributed to ways of living in the new world, agriculture, language, religion and other culture traditions that were adopted by many settlers. These three groups influenced the early United States. European countries were …show more content…

Native Americans were faced with Europeans from a very early time, since the time of Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the New World. “Native Americans dealt with Europeans in different ways. Many resisted, other retreated, and still other developed thriving trade relationships with the new-comers” (Shi and Tindall, 39). Those who did develop relationships with the new- comers helped them survive in the new land. They helped fight the diseases that the English settlers encountered, helped them find food and find proper shelter and water. Their civilizations influenced the colonist on their own village structure. The Towne of Secota was one of those towns; “In their corne fields their builde as yt weare a scafolde whe on they sett a cottage like to a rownde chaire”(Harriot and White, 7). “Let this therefore assure you of our loves and everie yeare our friendly trade shall furnish you with corne” (Smith and Powhatan, 9). Native Americans had their own religions and traditions as well. Many colonists practiced some of their religious beliefs and their customs. Native Americans influenced a style of living amongst each other often causing families to grow amongst them. However, not all was peace, during the American Revolution British troops recruited Indian allies who were willing to fight the colonists. They were promised to protect their native lands and tribes. Alliances such as the Iroquois League split their alliance as some chose to fight next to the British (Shi and Tindall, 153). After the war, due to the Native American’s contributions, the U.S. government turned its back on a lot of the pledges made to the Native Americans. Whites began pushing into Indian territories on the western frontier (Shi and Tindall, 179). After some time, Thomas Jefferson put in place The Civilization Project. The project was a way to Americanize the Native Americas. There there was in fact some success,

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