North American And Indian Societies

The variations in Native American culture were vast and blended through many facets of their everyday lives. Religion, gender roles, and even the materials they viewed as valuable also separated the similarity among these groups.

Native American culture originated in some parts North America. These countries are known as the United States of America and some parts of Canada. In the United States, there are 6.6 million Native Americans, which form about 2.0 percent of the population (Bureau, 2016). Europe had realized there were about 50 million people already living the “new world” and these people were called Native Americans. Native Americans were originally called Indians, but later through history they formed a new name. These people were called this because of them being native to the “new world” and the American part came after the colonist named the United States. Throughout history, Native Americans believed that using raw material in nature was the best way to provide for their people. Their culture thought no part of an animal should go to waste. They would eat the meat, use the skin for clothing, and make jewelry from the bones. Over the years a lot of their culture and customs were lost due to conforming with society. Their languages were referred to as “Indigenous Languages” because of them being extremely complicated and diverse. Some important factors that help understand the foundation of Native American culture are their rituals/practices, death ceremonies, holidays, family, and stereotypes.

The Paiutes are a Native American Indian tribe “made up of several bands throughout the western part of the United States, also known as the Great Basin region” (Ruby 222). The Northern Paiutes populated areas of Oregon, California, Nevada, and Idaho; and inquiries as to how the environment might have affected their interactions, migration, and social behavior is a topic of great interest in Oregon archeology. The Northern Paiutes “who practiced the ancestral lifeway well into the 19th century, were heirs to an extremely ancient cultural tradition” (Aikens 13). Historical archeological studies found that these groups often “made tools, gathered plants, and hunted animals of similar if not identical kinds” (Aikens 13). Through these similar identities,

The caste system has been extremely stable in India for over two thousand years. It is only since the more modern, independent state of India was formed that the system has come under any scrutiny at all. It is presently outlawed, but many of the practices, attitudes and traditions remain ingrained in Hindu society (University of Wyoming, 1997).

Native Americans and Europeans, specifically from England, had totally different social systems. These social systems were greatly affected by gender and the political economy. The Native Americans heavily emphasized reciprocity and the value of friendships, thus binding people together and creating lasting relationships. Europeans on the other hand were more focused on acts of trade and the free market economy. Since Europeans relied on a free market economy, owning land was a great way to contribute and show this. Land was very scarce and it showed others the amount of wealth and prestige one had. Since land in Europe was nowhere in sight, many people immigrated to North America in hopes to acquire land thus making them rich and move up in status. The class system was very much alive and defined in Europe. Men had all the power in the world because patriarchy prevailed during this time. However, the Native Americans had a completely different philosophy. Owning property or land never existed within this social system. The Natives did not value wealth or riches but rather friendships and respect. The biggest difference between the two groups was the focal points of the family. European families, towns, and governments revolved around men. Men dominated the household by controlling every aspect of the home and his wife. They represented their family and confined their wives at home. Native Americans had no social system but they greatly respected their female elders. It was

When we talk about caste system, one must talk about the southern and border states of the United States during the 1877 to mid-1960. These states primarily operated and upheld what is called Jim Crow laws. Under Jim Crow laws it legalized anti-black racism; it was a way of life for black citizens to live under a series of rigid anti-black laws. It was a system which was supported by beliefs that white citizens were superior to black citizens to include intelligence, morality and civilized behavior. Jim Crows laws suggested by mixing of the races would produce mongrel race that would destroy America, treating blacks equal would encourage interracial sexual relations and violence was the means to keep blacks at the bottom of the race hierarchy

Native American societies were changed when the Europeans introduced diseases and it decreased much of the native population. The goals of the Spanish were to promote God, seek glory, and gold. The Spanish set up colonies and tried to convert natives to Catholicism, most of the time through violent actions. Some native american societies resisted change by refusing to convert

Prior to European colonization, North America was home to many Native American Tribes. These tribes spoke many different languages, had diverse social customs, and had different resources available to them depending upon location. Two prominent native groups were the Pueblo People of the Southwest, and the Tribes of the Mississippi River Valley. While these groups had some prominent similarities, there were, in fact, many differences between them.

This essay will analyze Native American societies for world view and cultural and institutional differentiation. In so doing, we will discuss the possibilities or the lack of endogenously generated social change within American Indian societies and cultures. Mainly this essay will concentrate on two important aspects of world view that contribute to conservatism in Native American cultures. The two aspects are as follows, holistic Native American beliefs versus dualistic world views, and in so discussing we will illuminate the reader’s knowledge about the differences in views of purity and salvation. The second important aspect is that of the economic ethic: American Capitalism versus Native American subsistence labor

Firstly, the caste system reflects the inequality of Indian society. Although religion in India is characterized by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices, majority of Indian population follow Hinduism. Therefore, the dominance of Hinduism beliefs is common in India. There is a belief in caste system, as Brood said, “a system of hierarchical social organization”1. Hindu society is divided into four main classes; the priestly class, the warrior and administrator class, the producer class who is farmers and merchants and the servant class. The remaining group of people who is “outcastes” is called “untouchables” or dalit. Brodd recognizes “dalits continue to suffer terrible oppression, especially in rural communities in India”. I still could not imagine how terrible this bottom class suffers until reading Max Bearak article. All sufferings of Rohith Vemula, from the hardships of growing up poor, interactions with society in caste to scholarship revoke and suicide, happened tragically because he was born in a dalit family. This is the

The caste system itself is a system of social stratification, based on two concepts, varna and jati. Varna

Vedic society was divided into four different classes, Brahmans, nobles, commoners and the serfs. These classes are part of the cosmic hierarchy and were based on purity. This gave way to the caste systems. Castes are arranged in the following order of the polarity of purity; Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and the shudras. With a fifth group called the untouchables at the very bottom. They are the untouchables because they are the most impure. The caste of an individual cannot be removed. Each caste has strict rules on caste endogamy.

In the Indians and European cultures, they both faced a certain backlash when it came to being able to live with each other. For example, the Indians would offer an education in the way of living in New England, but Massachusetts and Connecticut would make sure that the people that lived over there would stay over there because they did not want the settlers to move over there. In contrast, they both could have a cultural crossing successfully. For example, Europeans men lived with Indian women and the French and English were good friends with the Indians. In this essay, Europeans and Indians culture are divided, but together in terms of the nature of the borderlands, the appeal to the Indian cultures that may have had for some Europeans, how most Europeans viewed Indians, the way Indians treated captives and those who lived amongst them voluntarily, the role of trade and economic exchange, the role of education, and finally the difference between the English and the French settlers in their attitudes towards the indigenous peoples. Through all this, the essay will explain what kind of people live in the Indian culture as well as compare all the descriptive information that has been received.

What are the four major castes? What implications does the caste system have for everyday life? How does the caste system relate to Hindu ideas of spiritual life? “The four major castes of Hindu society are; seers ( brahmins ), administrators ( kshatriyas ), artisans or farmers ( vaishyas ), and followers or servants ( shudras)”( Smith 56). Smith writes, religious leaders, teachers, artists, and philosophers are members of the first caste, brahmins, khatriyas, the second caste, first known as warriors are now managers. The tillers of the land, the makers of bricks, and the builders are part of the third caste, vaishyas. The fourth caste is made up of servants, those who will take care of the other castes’ needs (56)”. While I was working in India, summer of 2001 and there at the invitation of the richest family in India and staying at one of their compounds, some of my co-workers and I were playing snooker. A young boy walked into the room where we were playing. He stopped and talked to us for a few minutes before continuing to bed. Accompanied by a man of about twenty years old, the boy’s shudra, who had been the boy’s personal servant for ten or more years. The shudra’s purpose was to protect and serve his charge’s every need. Although there is inequality between castes, Smith denotes.“ within each caste, there is equality, opportunity, and social insurance ( 57)”. Although the text

According to Indianchild.com the India caste system is a hierarchical society. In the Indian caste system, no matter where you live or what religion you are