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Relationships Between English Settlers And Native Americans

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Relationships between English settlers and Native American tribes were central to both the successes and the failures of the early English colonies in America. Although conflict often characterized relationships between the so-called “Indians” and the English, many of the initial colonies owed their survival and successes to the natives. The Native Americans were valuable trading partners, occasional allies, and aid in sickness and famine. However, various conflicts between tribes and settlers lead to attacks, murders, abductions, and even war. In other parts of America, natives were abused and sold into slavery by the Spanish, while treated as allies and partners in trade by the French. English relationships with the American Indians …show more content…

The colonists were dependent on the Indians for food and guidance, but the natives were increasingly troubled by the violence of the English and the signs they had seen. Foreign diseases swept through Native American towns, and a neighboring tribe decided to cut off supplies to the settlers. Hearing rumors of an impending attack, colonists decided to preemptively strike, storming the village and beheading the chief. English relief ships with fresh supplies were delayed, and by the time they reached the Roanoke colony, the settlers had almost starved. Undeterred by the shaky Indian-English relations and near starvation, a fresh batch of settlers was sent to revive the Roanoke colony in 1587. After the slaughter of one of their men, the English attacked a hostile village, only to accidentally kill friendly Indians, the Croatoans. When the long-delayed ship carrying supplies from England arrived three years later, the settlement was abandoned, the only clue as to their fate being the word Croatoan carved on a tree. However, there was no sign of struggle, indicating the settlers had relocated. They were never seen again, earning the nickname of “The Lost Colony”. During these attempts at establishing a colony on Roanoke Island the Native Americans grew wary and distrustful of the English, something that would be reflected in future colonization attempts. The first permanent English colony was planted roughly ten years later in Jamestown,

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