Describe how European colonists' relations with these populations - Essay Example

Week: Chapter: Describe how European colonists relations with these populations contributed to political friction and harmony within the colonyIntroductionEuropean colonists’ had very significant effects on the colonies that they conquered. Some of the effects range from social effects, economic effects, governance and administration, and political effects. As such, Native Americans and enslaved Africans made fundamental contributions to economy and the dimension of colonial politics in the seventeenth-century English colonies.

This paper will however address the political effects of the relations between the colonies and the European colonialists. Specifically, we will address the political friction and harmony within the colony because of the colonialist’s relations.Since, the 15th and 16th centuries, the western powers were in a scrabble to show dominance either in Europe or in foreign countries by the way of acquiring more territories. As such, they were in a competition for power within European power politics.

1 However, even as they did this, they encountered opposition to their plans inform of military resistance and political and diplomatic responses. Ideally, the western powers interacted with the colony populations in through actual colonialism, slave trade, and missionary relations that encompassed religious intrusions. Generally, colonialism involved unequal relationships between the European colonialists’ and the indigenous population. Such relations have been marred with violent acts. This results from the fact that the colonial rulers make fundamental decisions on behalf of the colonies with an aim of fulfilling their interests and denouncing the indigenous people’s interests.

This leads to political conflicts and disharmony in the colonies. Additionally, the quest to bring to a centralized control of a vast number of territories jeopardizes the diverse cultures involved and thus the political conflicts. In matters relating to slavery, European colonialists captured and sold Africans to other European traders. This was probably the greatest source of conflict between the colonialists and the indigenous people. The manner in which this process was carried was inhumane and hence the disharmony in their relations.

Indeed, the European colonialists looked down on Africa’s rich cultures by mistreating them and subjecting them to slavery. Moreover, they sought to have them denounce their culture and adopt the western culture that did not augur well with the indigenous people hence the continued political conflicts and disharmony. Additionally, even the missionaries contributed a lot to the rise of political conflict between the European colonialists and their colonies. While as the missionaries main aim was to convert people to Christianity, bring education, and health, they further sought to bring the European ideology, which conflicted with the political aspects.

Furthermore, the Europeans created conflicts among ethnic groups, distorted natural boundaries, brought typical democracy to their colonies, and submerged and dismantled indigenous institutions.2 This resulted to abject political conflicts as the colonies tried to resist. In conclusion, I find that European colonization had many effects on the indigenous people that included political, economic, and social. Indeed, the missionaries, slave trade, colonization are some of the factors that led to political conflicts and disharmony between the European colonists and the relevant colonies.

BibliographyArowolo, Dare. “The Effects of Western Civilization and Culture on Africa.” Afro Asian Journal of Social Sciences 1, No. 1 (2010): 1-13. http://onlineresearchjournals.com/aajoss/art/53.pdf (accessed May 25, 2012).I chose this source because of the authority it derives in scholarly works. The source emanates from a lecturer and a world recognized university. As such, the source is authoritative and not biased. Additionally, the language of communication used herein is simple, precise and to the point.

It is actually, relevant to the topic of discussion.