Understanding the Chesapeake Colonists - Essay Example

 Colonizing a certain place at anywhere in this world where technology was not so much improved yet could simply be nothing but difficult. In addition, early navigations were based mostly on assumptions which were less scientifically or mathematically accurate. One could not really know the difficulties early colonists of the Chesapeake Region could have endured, especially so that they were trying to survive in a foreign land. To say that the first groups of colonizers to the region were ignorant, lazy and unambitious would be cruel without an in-depth look into their situation during those times. It is to be understood that during the early settlements of the Europeans in Chesapeake, native settlers posed some danger tot them because of the threat they felt from the invaders. In addition, their new environment exposed them to diseases that were deadly. With the few numbers of the early colonists, they were vulnerable to defeat from the attacks of the Indians, coupled by the weakening of the team through death brought about by sickness. Misunderstandings occurred among them which aggravated their situation, causing them not to be united for their purpose. Having a closer look at the aforementioned circumstances of the voyagers, one could not simply say they were ignorant. They came from one of the most civilized nations during that time, able to send expeditions in search of more lands to own and had the benefits of the latest scientific findings. To the educated, they could not be said to be ignorant rather are well informed and with such knowledge are therefore driven by ambition to explore a world unknown to most of them. Competing with the strong Spanish reign during that time who were already settled in America could be considered quite ambitious especially so that England was just recovering from her own turmoil at home. The early colonists to the region understandably had issues to settle among themselves however, their inability to do so in a civilized manner could let a viewer think that they are ignorant and as savage as the native settlers. Their attitude toward each other and their circumstances may not seem to be strongly driven by their ambition as they first thought about the expedition. For a plan of colonizing a place, extended efforts should have been done in preparation for the unknown that they might encounter in the seas and upon arrival to their intended colony. However, their seemingly lack of plan showed inexperience so that a person looking at how the voyage went, would think there had been no scientific preparation at all. Although the early colonists were trained in battle, the fights, they were about to face were different from those which they fought. Not dealing with the problem among themselves, unable to unite and focus on their objectives could also be misconstrued as an act of laziness. As mentioned earlier, for such an expedition, careful planning should be done and of course the implementation of the plan is another part of the story which requires more efforts than the planning. In the second step, there are a lot of things to consider like unexpected events so that more diligence is required from the participants. Nevertheless, there seems to have been some lack of evidence to such so that it could be debated that the colonists were simply lazy. At some point, they could also be said to be ignorant. Not that they are totally uneducated but that they somehow lacked information regarding the place and settlers. When they arrived at Chesapeake, they probably were surprised by a totally different world from which they have just been imagining. They looked at the natives as ignorant because their technology was not as advanced as theirs, lazy because the men let the women work the fields more than the men do and unambitious because they seem to be contented with their simple living, contrary to themselves who are conquering nations, discovering technologies and studying civilizations. The Native Americans on the other hand had similar perceptions of the colonizers who do not seem to know much about farming and hunting, they were lazy because they do not let their women work hard in the fields and seem to just live easy lives by grabbing settled lands. Such situations could be well understood especially to a person who considers both sides of the picture to get a clearer view of what could have happened then. The view that the early settlers in the Chesapeake Region are lazy could be easily said by a modern person who is simply studying history. However, when one considers putting one’s self in the situations they have been through during those times, there could truly be a clearer understanding of the situation and no assumptions could be made indiscriminately. One has to understand not only the very situation during that time rather has to consider several angles to fully capture the image of a 17th century expedition. As a nation trying to conquer a part of the American soil after the Spaniards who are more advanced when it comes to voyages, the English colonizers were open to the threats of such a strong rival. They were in danger of being attacked not only by the Spaniards but by the native settlers as well who proved to be equally feared because of their attack a few days after their arrival. Starting to settle in a foreign land might have already brought difficulties in it’s self but, with it came the fear of other settlers which most probably pre-occupied the colonists’ minds more than the wealth that burned their passions to set sail. The fear for their lives for whatever other people could do to harm them could have been remedied by their developed means of building houses however, the claws of death brought about by diseases were inescapable. This made the situation more difficult so that it could be well understood if the colonists would have given up so easily and returned home. On another hand, one might argue that in such an expedition, such realities should have been expected. this could cause an accusation that the early colonists were simply lazy and irresponsible. If they have been well-prepared to whatever they encountered at sea and in the land, they could have been able to survive not only the attacks of the native settlers that claimed the lives of a great number of the company but also the effects of diseases that claimed more lives. Their determination was not as strong as what could have been expected by voyagers and thus a person who has such an argument might also have strong points brought in the open for the voyagers to have truly considered. Whatever arguments scholars probably have these days, cannot change what happened but can truly change the way modern people think and plan, taking a lesson from the Chesapeake colonists. Read More