Discuss The Relationship Between The First European Settlers And Native Americans
The first contacts between the Native American and the Europeans began officially at the end of the fifteenth century. In 1492, explorer and navigator Christopher Columbus discovers America by docking in the West Indies. This event will mark the beginning of major explorations. It is to be admitted that the relationship between the first European settlers and the Native Americans are established according to the western perceptions of the time. Given that the Europeans were the one who took the initiative to reshape the landscape of the New World, it is relevant to look at their perceptions of Native American population and civilization and how it evolved with time. It should also be stressed that the natives did not have written literature
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For the Spanish, the Indians were “noble savage”, friendly and docile nobles (Eric Forner, 2017). These noble savages provide indispensable assistance to Europeans so that they can survive and settle in this immense and inhospitable wilderness and even help rescue some of the Spanish crew when the Santa Maria sunk. But progressively the relationship change form friendly interactions to a dominant-dominated relation.
The Spanish discovered that the new land was rich in gold. They wanted this gold for themselves and were ready to acquire it at any price. The Indians resist the Spanish from stealing all their wealth. The fought back and killed some of the invaders. From then, the Indians become automatically "barbaric" inferior beings who seem to have, in the eyes of the Europeans, neither faith nor law. In addition, living in “absolute freedom” as did the natives was definitely not a hallmark of a civilized society (Eric …show more content…
The latter were resistant, resourceful and, unlike the English, perfectly comfortable in their environment. However, the natives would soon understand that the most solemn treaty would be violated as soon as the interests of the white people clashed with their promises that the Europeans would be ruthless and unscrupulous in the war, and the Indian weapons would be of no use in the face of European weapons. During the war of Independence, some Natives tribes were provisionally allied to the British. Indeed, many natives, as well as thousands of blacks, ranked with the loyalists alongside the British
For the Spanish, the Indians were “noble savage”, friendly and docile nobles (Eric Forner, 2017). These noble savages provide indispensable assistance to Europeans so that they can survive and settle in this immense and inhospitable wilderness and even help rescue some of the Spanish crew when the Santa Maria sunk. But progressively the relationship change form friendly interactions to a dominant-dominated relation.
The Spanish discovered that the new land was rich in gold. They wanted this gold for themselves and were ready to acquire it at any price. The Indians resist the Spanish from stealing all their wealth. The fought back and killed some of the invaders. From then, the Indians become automatically "barbaric" inferior beings who seem to have, in the eyes of the Europeans, neither faith nor law. In addition, living in “absolute freedom” as did the natives was definitely not a hallmark of a civilized society (Eric …show more content…
The latter were resistant, resourceful and, unlike the English, perfectly comfortable in their environment. However, the natives would soon understand that the most solemn treaty would be violated as soon as the interests of the white people clashed with their promises that the Europeans would be ruthless and unscrupulous in the war, and the Indian weapons would be of no use in the face of European weapons. During the war of Independence, some Natives tribes were provisionally allied to the British. Indeed, many natives, as well as thousands of blacks, ranked with the loyalists alongside the British