Similarities Between Society And Native American Culture

The three distinct similarities between European views of Africans and views of Native Americans were that they believed both Native Americans and Africans were a simple unsophisticated society, uncivilized savages, pagan who needed Christian teaching. Early North American travel literature portrayed the Native Americans as savage, hostile,“halfmen”, without law, religion, rulers, immortality of the soul and private property (Nash, 2007, p.42). Europeans considered themselves’ civilized compared to Native Americans due to the differences they had concerning their religious or lack of religious beliefs, their opposing view of property and the function of women in the family. Native Americans honored nature and the relationship they had with

The Europeans and the Native American’s come from very different customs and cultures. The colonists had very

Current American society is constantly affected by events from the past, but sometimes what society thinks is in the past is not so far behind. The way Native Americans were treated historically continually plays a part in current American society. Due to the racism and stereotypes carried throughout society the Native American cultural circle is constantly under fire.

Since the establishment of the thirteen colonies, Americans have established traditions that can easily be compared to that of the Native Americans. Many similarities and differences can be found between the spiritual and civic documents of the Native Americans and the Western people.

Throughout the course of history there have been numerous accounts regarding Native American and European interaction. From first contact to Indian removal, the interaction was somewhat of a roller coaster ride, leading from times of peace to mini wars and rebellions staged by the Native American tribes. The first part of this essay will briefly discuss the pre-Columbian Indian civilizations in North America and provide simple awareness of their cultures, while the second part of this essay will explore all major Native American contact leading up to, and through, the American Revolution while emphasizing the impact of Spanish, French, and English explorers and colonies on Native American culture and vice versa. The third, and final, part of this essay will explore Native American interaction after the American Revolution with emphasis on westward expansion and the Jacksonian Era leading into Indian removal. Furthermore, this essay will attempt to provide insight into aspects of Native American/European interaction that are often ignored such as: gender relations between European men and Native American women, slavery and captivity of native peoples, trade between Native Americans and European colonists, and the effects of religion on Native American tribes.

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

The Native Americans lived on millions of acres of land in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida, they inherited all of these lands from their ancestors who cultivated for generations. According to Elias Boudinot the natives considered themselves to be just as equal as the Whites, he states, “What is an Indian? Is he not formed of the same materials with yourself?” (Boudinot, 1826) The natives saw themselves to be no different from the Whites, in fact they cared for one another as a whole, they lived in kinships, where there was never an Indian left alone without a family. They followed a society based off of the concept of interdependence, they had in their mind that everything is dependent of something. The Indians were very advanced, and were able to prosper in their society, although the Whites believed otherwise, and believed that the natives were uncivilized.

The definition of Sociology is the study of human societies through the synthesis of theoretical analysis and controlled research, focusing on the social patterns and the different factors that influence humans. I was born in a small town with roughly five hundred people in it; Terrero Negro the most beautiful town in Honduras is where I grew up for the majority of my childhood. Sadly do a corrupt government the majority of the population lives in poverty, however that does not stop anyone from always offering you a cup of coffee or any type of beverage when you arrive at their house. This is one of the most important norms, thus from a young age everyone is taught to be courteous and make your guest feel at home by offering them a beverage.

It is no secret that Europeans and Native Americans have an intricate history of conflict and cooperation. Going all the way back to the 16th century, where it all started, their encounters were mostly unpleasant. Indians were the first ones to settle in the Americas, so they had to be creative when it came to living with all this new land. Each tribe had their own culture, beliefs, religions, ideas, and ways of living which for the most part, were not in agreement with European lifestyle. In my opinion, all of those differences are what lead the Europeans and Native Americans relationship to frequent destruction.

These natives first inhabiting america lived very similar lives from one another. Most natives hail from an extended family. The tribes took agriculture, hunting, and beliefs very seriously. They all seemed to adapt to environmental changes as time went on in their settlements. Of course when natives first got to America they all experienced different hardships, but overcame them in their own ways. As I read chapter one, by the end of it I realized that most of the tribes individually contributed their knowledge to overcome hardships in history. And they shared these contributions with one another to help each community grow. For instance, Mayans created their numerical system, and Indicas with their irrigation systems, etc. These natives seemed to all have great work ethic, a will to live, and a will to express their beliefs. They all settled areas of untouched land, and created their own societies, and their own futures. American natives banded together to create opportunity, and sought after a better life for themselves. Pre- Columbian Native Americans were not the savages the Europeans described them to be. Native Americans were intelligent, hard working, and misunderstood

Our nation’s history has been deep rooted in the conflict involving Native Americans, ever since the beginning of America and it is one hard to get rid of even as the days go by. The impact of colonialism can be seen in Native American communities even today, and it can only be understood through a cultural perspective once you experience it. Aaron Huey, who is a photographer, went to Pine Ridge reservation and it led him to document the poverty and issues that the Sioux Indians go through as a result of the United States government’s long term actions and policies against them. One must question all sources regarding these topics because there is a lot of biased and misinformation about Native American struggles, and sometimes schools do not thoroughly teach the truth so students can get an insight. There are also different sociological perspectives in this conflict, along with many differing opinions on how to approach the problem and deal with it. This is where ideas clash because people believe their views are right regarding how to handle it.

“My people are few. They resemble the scattering trees of a storm-swept plain...There was a time when our people covered the land as the waves of a wind-ruffled sea cover its shell-paved floor, but that time long since passed away with the greatness of tribes that are now but a mournful memory.,” Chief Seattle Speech of 1854. The culture of the Native American people has been deteriorating ever since the Europeans arrived in the Americas. The impactful and immense loss of lifestyle that they faced is one that can never be recovered, what the United States has given them are generations of trauma and blatant suffering. However, the U.S. did not stop there, a multitude of cultures have been broken to help keep America pure. For instance, one of the most significant cultures that have been dismantled by the U.S. other than the Natives and their music were the languages and music of the African slaves. The apparent likeness of these two cultures in the ways in which their deconstruction impacted them is in more of an abundance, such as the dominating influence of the Christian religion and the gravely vital role of maintaining what little heritage they could through language. In contrast to this, the two groups had an opposing difference pertaining to how the Natives and slaves tried to compensate the immense loss of their culture through the generations.

“Sometimes it is impossible to know where you are headed without reflecting on where you came from. Understanding your heritage, your roots and your ancestry is an important part of carving out your adventure.” When reading from Close Range and A Radiant Curve the reader gets the feeling that both of these women have strong ties to their heritage, their roots. It is evident in Luci Tapahonso’s poem “The warp is even: taut vertical loops”. Tapahonso wants the reader to feel close to her family as she feels. “Suddenly I miss my father to. How he savored such mornings (Tapahonso 3).”

Native Americans hold a type of esoteric concept that comes from their philosophy of preserving their environment as well as their kinship that ties them together (Access Genealogy, 2009). They not only have social ties, they are politically and religiously organized through their rituals, government, and other institutions (Access Genealogy, 2009). They work together to reside in a territorial area, and speak a common language (Access Genealogy, 2009). They are not characterized by any one certain structure (Access Genealogy, 2009). However, the society agrees on fundamental principles that bond together a certain social fabric (Access Genealogy, 2009). Different Native American tribes throughout the years have had different ideas, opinions, philosophies, which are not always predetermined by their past ancestors.

The essay “Letter to President Pierce” written by Chief Seattle in 1855 lays out some of the biggest differences between white American culture and the culture of Native Americans. The essay is very brief in length but it does address many points that can be take farther. Chief Seattle begins the essay with simple stating the obvious; that everyone already knows white men and natives do not understand each other’s ways of living. He continues this by saying that even though the land that each of them hold is the same the way that it is handled could make you think otherwise. Chief Seattle believes that white man tires to fight and pillage everything rather work with it. This is the start of one of the biggest differences between the two cultures. By acting this way Seattle thinks that white man has no real connection to his culture because he continuously moves on from place to place leaving behind anything that was built by his ancestors. However, he contradicts himself by saying that maybe his thoughts are wrong because he is only a savage. The next main point that Seattle addresses is how he compares the silence of nature rather than all of the manmade noise of cities. He questions his stance on the noise pollution made by cities and asks if the only reason he does not like it is because he has not learned the “civilization” of it. Seattle believes in working with nature and what the world has given us, so that humans will last. He makes a strong point that if something