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Effects of european colonization on native american indians
Effects of european colonization on native american indians
Effects of european colonization on native american indians
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European expansion into the Western Hemisphere in the 15th and 16th century was overall a positive advancement for human civilization, despite many negative drawbacks. When discussing European expansion it is easy to forget some of the horrific things that happened, and merely focus on the creation of a new empire. However it is important to delve into the positive and negative attributes of European expansion into the west for a clearer picture of whether or not it helped to advance human civilization. When the Europeans first came to the Americas they were intrigued by the new culture they found, they saw the natives as barbaric and even savage. With this view of the natives the explorers were able to dehumanize them and find it acceptable …show more content…
to treat the people however they wished. The Europeans began to force the natives to be their laborers, took some to trade as slaves, and even killed others. At the same time, many more natives were dying due to European diseases they had never encountered before and had no immunity to, such as; small pox, mumps, measles, and influenza. Due to the brutal killing, and the new diseases the natives were beginning to go extinct in certain regions. In other regions because of the harsh treatment of the natives the natives revolted and more dispute arose. During this time of European expansion there was much conflict, and death. Despite the severe treatment of the natives, European expansion did have many positive attributes to modern day society.
In the areas where the Europeans lived with the natives and not separated, they were able to learn from one another and integrate these new discoveries into their own culture. The Europeans brought livestock to the natives that they had never seen, such as horses, pigs, cattle and sheep. With these horses the natives were then able to move from gathering to hunting, by being able to hunt the buffalo. The natives in turn taught the Europeans different agricultural advancements that they were able to bring back to Europe and integrate into their own lives. The Europeans originally came in search for mainly silver and gold, however they instead gained the biggest wealth through agriculture. The Europeans brought squash, pumpkins, and even corn back to Europe. Through living near and with one another cultures began to collide and sometimes mix. Some of the natives learned the language of the Europeans or a mixture of the two languages. Others began to blend religions, sometimes worshiping multiple gods, others becoming Catholic. During this time with a ten to one man to woman ratio in some areas interracial families became common. European expansion also helped to add diversity to the new land. All these things helped to make European expansion a positive
experience. Ultimately, European expansion in the Western Hemisphere was beneficial for the development of human civilization. Yes, this development came at the cost of many innocent natives' lives, however if this had never happened the world would stay at a growth standstill. Interacting with each other’s cultures, both were able to learn new ideas that could be incorporated into their everyday lives. The creation of life between both natives and the Europeans slowly led to the unification of the two cultures. In the beginning the Natives were seen as complete savages and uncivilized beings, easy to be dehumanized. Once the Europeans began having families with the natives, their treatment also began to somewhat improve. The Europeans idea to spread their views on religion did work in certain cases, but in others completely failed. Certain people chose to continue praying to their gods, others converted, and native children began to be baptized into the faith. In the end it is easy to see that despite some negative drawbacks, overall the Europeans expansion into the Western Hemisphere was a positive advancement for human civilization.
The small environment no longer had enough resources to sustain such a large population which motivated them to subdivide and move on. They expanded southward and eastward. They developed seasonal rounds of activity and movement. Climate change expanded the temperate forest throughout North America allowing them to become more familiar with their land. Early Americans. Soon the domestication of plants and animals established. They developed different cultures traditions diets and languages. During the late fifteenth century, Europeans developed the navigational technology and ambitions which allowed them to explore and conquer the world's seas. The Atlantic Ocean once a barrier became a bridge to vast lands and people. The Europeans traveled to the West Indies and India by traveling around Africa. The new discoveries transformed Europe into one of the most dominant continents. European Christians first felt surrounded by their Muslim neighbors. The Muslims were more a more powerful religion extended to North Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. The Europeans Christians got an opportunity to break out of the Muslim world and spread their beliefs to the newly discovered world and search for the trade riches such as gold, silks, and
The Europeans came to the Americas with an imperialistic attitude. They wanted to take over the land and they thought their goods and beliefs were better than those of the Natives. Document 7 shows that the Mother Country sent over many goods of their own for trade from the colonies. The goods from the Mother Country overpowered and took the place of the Native’s goods. Document 3 provides an example of how important the crops and other goods from the Americas were to the Europeans. By taking away many of the Native’s goods and replacing them with their own, the European’s changed life over in the America’s. Also, the Native’s had already been in the Americas for many years before the arrival of the Europeans. They had established a religion, language, and way of life. The Europeans thought they were better than the Native’s. Their main goal was to come to the New World and spread Christianity, and they were determined to do so. Document 1 explains that from the minute they arrived to the Americas, the Europeans were instilling their religion into the Native people through friendship and gifts. Not to mention, Document 6 states, “missions were built to help spread Christianity.” It also says, “missions and settlements helped spread European languages.” By looking at Latin America today we can see how much the Spanish and Portuguese has helped mold what it is
In the 1400’s European countries had been thrusted into overseas expansion in the fever for land and gold. All throughout Europe, monarchies had sent explorers all over the world to conquer land for their country. Each country had conquered and colonized in various styles, but each had a specific goal that they wanted to achieve. During the European colonization of the Americas or the New World, both the Spanish and the French spread the idea of Catholicism throughout the Americas, however the Spanish believed in treating the Native Americans in a harsher way by enslaving them for labor whereas the French established trade relationships.
The European exploration and colonization resulted in commercial expansion of trade in agricultural products between Europe and America. In some time, colonization resulted in religious tolerance and representative government that have for several years encouraged similar developments in other countries. In addition, early European exploration led to redistribution of human populations as magnitude of people from Europe and Africa moved to America. Before the colonization and exploration period, the Native Americans had established a number of forms of social organization.
Europeans during the 16th Century had made unique technological and intellectual advancements, they expanded their knowledge and continued to spread their dominance across the world. These advancements perpetuated the idea that their race was superior to other races and that they had the right to hold other groups of people accountable for what they saw as transgressions. Europeans felt the need to control and make sure that all groups of people were following their moral state of conducts. In History of A Voyage to the Land Of Brazil, Jean De Lery introduces the main motivation of the Europeans journey to the Americas by emphasizing that it was influenced by Christian values ( Lery 3). This shows how the concept of Christianity is important
Many positive outcomes came from exploring. After exploration there was a lot more knowledge of the world, Europeans started producing better more accurate maps of the world which made it easier for sailors to get to the new world and back without getting lost. The discovery of the new world led to more trade and new foods, the new foods were able to feed more people which led to a bigger population for not only Europeans. After exploration Europeans were able to spread ideas and technology much quicker than before. For the Natives, they were able to hunt buffalo much easier with European
Columbian Exchange or the big exchange was a great exchange on a wide range of animals (Horses, Chickens, sheep, swine, Turkey), plants (Wheat, barley, corn, beans, tomatoes), people and culture, infectious diseases, and ideas, technology (Wheeled vehicles, iron tools, metallurgy) all these things happened between Native Americans and from Europe after the voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492. Resulting in communication between the two cultures to initiate a number of crops that have led to the increase in population in both hemispheres, where the explorers returned to Europe loaded with corn, tomatoes, potatoes, which has become one of the main crops in Eurasia with the solutions of the eighteenth century. At the same time, the Europeans crops, cassava and peanuts to Southeast Asia with a tropical climate.
Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the New World in 1492 sparked an era known as the Columbian Exchange, in which the exchange of plants, animals, technology, ideas, and diseases occurred. It also marked the migration of many European settlers into the Americas, where they implemented their Eurocentric ideology on the First Nations who were residing there. A large amount of Latin Native Americans were taken as slaves back to Europe, or forced to commit rigorous labour and chores on sugar and coffee plantations in the Caribbean or South America. European monarchs utilized such resources through a mercantilist policy, giving Europe an economic boost. Based on the profits they were making through colonialism, they decided to set out and go imperialize more territory around the world. These events reinforce the idea that Europe could only flourish through the marginalization of Aboriginal
He meant that economically open doors for countries throughout Europe to stimulate their economy. Describe the different global economies that Europeans participated in or created during the European age of expansion. A global economy was made solely reliant on produce of its province; gaining free labor from slaves also shipment bringing in byproduct colonies. This encouraged growth for Europe to extend their boarder and riches. One of the most striking features of Indian societies at the time of the encounter with Europeans was their diversity. Support this statement with several examples. Examples of this can be irrigation, roadway systems, the pyramids, and the diversity of different languages in different cities. Compare and contrast European values and ways of life with those of the Indians. Consider addressing religion, views about ownership of land, gender relations, and notions of freedom. The Indians believed that if they lived on property then it is theirs but if it is not inhabited then it is free where as Europeans believe that wealth comes from land ownership and fortune. Indian women won homes and tools and European women do not. What were the main factors fueling the European age of expansion? The main factors for expansion were resource, new route to India resource and pillaging. Compare the different economic and
When the Europeans explored the Americas, they were introduced to new plants, foods, and animals, as well as riches and land. Foods such as corn, white and sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, cacao, fruits, peppers, peanuts, sugar cane, and tobacco were many of the new foods enjoyed by Europeans. Some animals such as wild turkeys, llamas, and alpacas, were brought back to Europe. Native American Indians traded furs with the Europeans, which were luxury items throughout Europe. The discovery of lands rich in gold, silver, and other treasures prompted the conquistadors to launch expeditions to the Americas, while reports of newly discovered lands abundant in resources, lured many other Europeans to the Americas in search of a new and better life.
The Columbian exchange brought new animals, foods , and diseases to different countries. The Columbian exchange helped start new careers and bring new things to different parts of the world opening up new discoveries and alliances. The only thing that the Europeans brought to that was original, was slavery. Slavery was brought to America from the Europeans, when they tried to use the natives but it did not work very well so they used the Africans. The Native Americans were no longer slaves but still treated like a lower class and were killed raped and pushed off their
The discovery of the new world brought the Europeans resources, money, and people. Discovery of the new was such an impact on the European exploration because of land. Countries would now have more land in their name with lots of resources. Discovery the new world made the European come up with the ideal of slavery. This was a negative for the people who lived on the land because they were either killed, brought into slavery, or kicked off the island (3). Crops and resources was another reason why the discovery of the new world was important. Exploring the world gave the Europeans resources that were very convenience. Gold was the greatest convenience resources found during the European exploration (3). When the Europeans were traveling across they weren’t just looking for land and money. They also learned from the Indians and others about their culture (3). Learning about another culture made the explorers bring back some of their culture and share it with the old world. The explorers found lots of resources and crops that they didn’t have, they also found out that the Indians didn’t have things they had, and this is what lead to the Columbian
The hunger for more natural resources and the need to trade for exotic goods were the main causes for European exploration and colonization. Even though religion was used as a “pretext” for European expeditions, “gold” was the real motive (1). Cippola further explains that, “Through the idea of mission and crusade the conquistadores succeeded where the medieval merchants failed and were able to reconcile the antithesis between business and religion that had plagued the conscience of medieval Europe”(2). Cipolla also discards Malthusian pressure as a possible cause for European expansion. Devastating and recurrent epidemics were constantly keeping the population growth in check and “no population pressure of any relevance was felt in Europe till the second half of the eighteenth century” (3). By eliminating these two powerful driving forces as the motivation for expansion, Cipolla claims that European expansion was basically a commercial venture (4). This expansion, being a very aggressive commercial venture, has some effect on the environment. The Europeans exploited the natural resources of the places they ‘discovered’. Excessive mining for natural resources and deforestation for shipbuilding are examples of environmental damages caused by European expansion (5). As the expansion spread throughout the world and the European Empires grew bigger and stronger, so did the pressure put on the environment to sustain this expansion.
The principle justification offered by the Europeans for their colonization of Asia & Africa was the moral and technological superiority of the western world. As the Europeans saw it, the spread of the European way of life would substantially increase living standards for the colonized. While economic reasons were obviously the primary impetus for colonial expansion, the Europeans believed that they were not only improving the natives’ conditions, but they were saving their mortal souls by bringing Christianity to them. Over time, the technologically advanced way of life came to be associated with Europe, and with Europeans. This is the cause of the racist and social Darwinist undertones in the documents.
The First "Europeans" reached the Western Hemisphere in the late 15th century. Upon arrival they encountered a rich and diverse culture that had already been inhabited for thousands of years. The Europeans were completely unprepared for the people they stumbled upon. They couldn't understand cultures that were so different and exotic from their own. The discovery of the existence of anything beyond their previous experience could threaten the stability of their entire religious and social structure. Seeing the Indians as savages they made them over in their own image as quickly as possible. In doing so they overlooked the roots that attached the Indians to their fascinating past. The importance of this past is often overlooked. Most text or history books begin the story of the Americas from the first European settlement and disregard the 30,000 years of separate, preceding cultural development (Deetz 7).