Cultural Differences Between Europeans And Native Americans

A tragedy that ravaged the Indians were diseases they weren't exposed to, causing serious problems due to their lack of immunity. Influenza, small pox, and other diseases killed hundreds of thousands of the native populations. Disease weakened the Indian resistance which allowed the conquistadors to easily conquer an area and have it portioned into encomiendas. The Spanish were given title to the land and its people in exchange for promising to teach the natives Christianity. This system was greatly abused, putting the Indians in a state of virtual slavery. Another source of a decrease in population between the New and Old Worlds was the Colombian exchange which interchanged diseases, plants, animals, and human cultures. Disease bearing microbes were transmitted leading to deteriorating populations of the

With different cultures and beliefs, it is very hard for groups of people to avoid conflict with one another. One of the biggest factors of the clash between Native Americans and Europeans is that they are coming from completely different lifestyles. Europeans had very poor diet, which consisted of mostly bread and soup. Those who did not starve were malnourished. Europe was filled with many diseases that killed much of Europe’s population. Native American survival was based on hunting and gathering. If they killed an animal they ate, if they failed to do so they went hungry. Native Americans lived under a democratic system and were separated into tribes and lived in tents. There was no such thing as rich or poor between tribes, which eliminated competition to move up the social ladder. Some tribes were very small, and to avoid being outrun by larger tribes, the

Culture wasn’t the only thing that the Europeans brought over to the Americas. Along with their customs and rules, came the diseases that the Native American’s have never been exposed to. The Europeans brought many communicable diseases such as small pox and measles which were transmitted to the Native Americans through trade goods or someone infected with them. This quickly annihilated most of the Native American population.

From the very first interaction, the social and political relations between the Native Americans and the Europeans had begun with much tension. Many Europeans came to the Americas with the intention of discovery. However, when it became apparent that these new lands were inhibited the motives changed, and then the natives were colonized, abused, and in many cases killed. From then and throughout the impending periods of time, the relations between the natives and the Europeans had a few points of mutual peacefulness, but were overall negative.

Before Europeans landed in the Americas, Native Americans lived within various complex societies across modern day North and South America. Two of the greatest empires that existed at the time were the Aztecs located in modern central Mexico or at the time it was called Mesoamerica and the Incas located in modern Peru, these societies were unique because they were ruled by kings, nobles and warriors whereas most North American Natives were ruled by chiefdoms. North American Native’s religion consisted of animist quality- a belief that the natural world had spiritual powers. They applied this belief to everyday life- praying to be exempt from disease, good crops, and plenty of food. Some societies amongst many North American Natives were matriarchal for example in the Iroquois society power and possessions were passed down through the female line of authority. Most women were gatherers and watched over the towns and men hunted for food for their families, maize agriculture was popular amongst the Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes Natives. The Native Americans traded extensively before the Europeans arrived, for example there were annual trade fairs between the Navajos, Apaches and the Pueblos. In 1521, Hernan Cortes arrived in Mesoamerica and quickly overcame the Aztecs, not only by force but also disease. Europeans unknowingly brought many diseases, such as smallpox, influenza and measles, that the Native Americans were never exposed to and it was one of the biggest killers of the Natives. At first, Europeans forced Native Americans to be slaves and work on their plantations but soon they were replaced with the African slave.

European families always put the males first, whereas African and Native American cultures saw the woman as the symbol of family bond. The children were said to be descended through the mother’s side more than the father. Religion was somewhat similar between the Native American and African cultures where the Europeans strongly disagreed with. Africans believed that there was a center power and Native Americans believed there were several deities, where they both believed that focused on nature and the its forces. They both believed that objects (usually scared to them) held sprites of the dad and spirits that can be evil or good. On the other hand, Europeans believed that there was a single deity with written scriptures which was all run through

There are many reasons Native Americans and European Colonists did not have a good relationship. The reason for conflict between Colonist and Indians was due to the Colonists insatiable greed for power and land. Some of the reasons not only included physical mistreatment but also an ethical mistreatment of the Native Americans. European Colonists not only brought with them many different diseases that would later aid in the genocide of many Native American tribes, but also a mindset in which they felt superior to there Native neighbors. This feeling of superiority led to an outbreak of violence and many different civil wars. Due to the Native American and the Colonists irreconcilable

There was a broad diversity on the view of the world between the Native Americans and Europeans. Together, they created the story of the clash of people, religion, ideas, and cultures.

Firstly, there are numerous Examples of European interactions with American Indians. From the beginning Indians focused on Trade as a major role in receiving and selling goods. For example, the Indians traded much with European explorers and colonists. Many Native hunters demanded deer hides that Indians were very skilled at making. Indians demanded thing such as iron tools, copper pots and glass beads. As a result of trade many French people developed

Native Americans had conflict with the Europeans over social and environmental problems; this led to violence and war. Also, Europeans and Native Americans were both violent and Europeans enslaved and killed Natives to conquer land and people.

Where irreconcilable differences amongst two communities persist, conflict will arise. During the colonization of the Americas in the 1600s and 1700s, while European settlers searched for places to settle and thrive, they had numerous encounters with Native Americans. However, repeated patterns of distrust, cultural differences, and greed have kept the Europeans and Native Americans from forming peaceful relations with each other. Even after various efforts, European settlers and Native Americans could not have maintained a peaceful and harmonious relationship.

The first interactions seemed quite peaceful between Christopher Columbus and Native Americans. He only sought to see how they lived, learn culture, and bring back several of them to show the King and Queen of Spain. He found many useful resources on these islands he first landed on. Once all of Europe had heard of this everyone was in a hurry to reach the Americas. All of Europe was racing for power, land, and recourses, and the only thing standing between them and that power was Native Americans and the Atlantic Ocean.

Certain aspects of how the French approached the Natives upon arrival to The New World seemed to produce superior conditions for the French colonizers. For example, the French seemed to find a “middle ground” with the Natives, so to speak. Rather than the English had done prior, in which they seemed to shove religion down the throats of the Native Americans, the French seemed to ease the transition with offerings such as giving Natives improved prices on goods upon allowing Jesuits to live among the tribes. Even if members of the tribes refused, the French seemed to have greater interest in becoming allies rather than persecuting the Native Americans. With this mutual respect, trading between both parties seemed to flow smoother. Tribes, such

People from different cultures interacted with the first arrival of the European by trade, fought over farm land and growing crops, and fought wars against other cultures and with the Europeans. In following paragraphs, I will tell you why and how the Natives interacted with them.

Over the years the world has become smaller and the gap between Europe and America has dwindled, technology is a major power. Just think Europeans are watching American football or a Major League Baseball game, well that is possible now, A satellite dish or an internet connection and fingers in motion A click of a mouse and Europeans have instance exposure to the American culture. Europeans rely on American for entertainment