European and Native American Culture - Essay Example

European and Native American Culture European and Native American Culture The relationship between Native Americans and European Colonialist had its difficulties, at first the settlers we welcomed by the natives chiefs but due to the nature of the early settlers to conquer, nature of the relationship changed. Cultural historic assumption advocated for three fundamental things; a shared legal code, everyday life, and a common language. Lives and culture of the natives changed, their population was reduced, displacement, diseases, warfare and enslavement.

The introduction of horses by the Spaniards changed the mode of lifestyle through improved transportation means, the introduction of clothes blankets and other household items made an impact in the lives of the locals1. However, but all this kindness from the settlers also came with negativity to the locals natives as the trade of blankets was not that welcoming as it was a means for the early settlers to spread smallpox to the natives. The natives’ immune systems were poor as compared to the settles this made them weak and easy to conquer after being poisoned.

Also, lead to war, slavery, and territorial dispute. The relationship was uneasy the two cultures differed in language, customs, lifestyles; the Europeans viewed the Natives Americans as uncivilized, ignorant heathens, uncouth, unsophisticated, dirty, and unethical. Concerns came from missionaries with the introduction or religion in America; this not only affected their social status but also their culture and values2.The hardship encountered by early settlers started in their voyage, they had less food, diseases were uncontrollable few children survived the trip.

Scurvy seasickness, dysentery, fever, and other diseases killed them before they arrived. Winter in north America was much more colder as compared to Europe winter this was a challenge to the early settlers a good example is ,“The first English Colony on Roanoke Island what is now North Carolina, "the Lost Colony." The entire original colony disappeared.” Due to weather hardship diseases such as Malaria, dysentery, yellow fever, small pox was a common feature. Colonies experienced sickness, starvation, and conflicts with the Native American cultures, such colony was Jamestown which undergone a major blow of hunger and diseases stricken early settlers3.

Religion has contributed a lot to the history of America. At Cape Henry, in Virginia the first Episcopal Church was established in April 1607. Then followed by a parish in Jamestown, Virginia, in July 1620 a separate group from English emigrants docked in North America and later they were known as pilgrims. The relationship between puritans and pilgrims is important for one to note in understanding the history of religion in America, though majority of pilgrims were puritanical. The first pilgrims were a group of English origin people who travelled to settle in America seeking religious freedom from the oppression they faced in England during the reign of King James4.

The puritans escape oppression from England, they survived in Massachusetts Bay through caring for each other, they believed their destiny was predetermined, religious exclusion and self-imposed isolation was their driving force. They used the New Testament.Quakers was founder in 1647 by English preacher George fox. Also referred to the Society of Friends they uphold non-violence, simple life, they preferred a direct relationship with God through ones freedom of conscience. They believed in fair trade with the Natives Americans, religious forbearance, and equal rights to women.

This made them adaptable and easy to expound. They were the settlers of what is called Pennsylvania today5.The Catholics were not the first religious factors in the colonial period though they assisted and influenced the French settlement of Ohio and Mississippi valleys and Spanish region in Florida, Southwest of the United States and California6.Through this way, different religious society had their own regions where they establish their homes or settlements this are as discussed above, different states have been named after religious leaders or certain trends that the religious sect followed or adhered to.

Through this, they established their territorial habitation that missions were built for expansion of their religious belief to the interior of America. Then colonial governed themselves in religious colonies in this fundamental way7.References:Fawn M. Brodie, and Thomas Jefferson (2003).An Intimate History. Retrieved from the Internet.George P. (1999). A True Relation of the Proceedings and Occurrences of Moment which have happened in Virginia . . . anno 1609 until my departure out of the Country which was in anno Domini 1612, publ. 1624].Richard Frethorne (2001).

Letter to his father and mother, 20 March 2&3 April 1623. Internet source.Richard Hofstadter. (1997). America at 1750: A Social Portrait. New York, NY: Springer.