Differences Between Europeans And Native Americans

The European American worldview was very different from the Native American’s when the two cultures first met. Several differences overpower the similarities that contributed to civilization of the Europeans. Land disputes between the Natives and Europeans began almost immediately after non-Natives arrived in North America. The colonists believed in expanding the land and making good use of the agriculture and essential materials. The more land they owned, the more powerful and wealthy they would become. Despite demonstrating territorial claims, the Natives did not believe in ownership of land. This was because the Natives felt their ancestral spirits dwelled on the land they lived and because they viewed themselves as part of the Earth.