How Europeans Change the Native Americans
Mercedes Courtenay
Professor Hess
ENG 241
October 4, 2012
How Europeans Change the Native Americans
When Europeans first explored western Virginia in the late 1600s, they discovered few Native Americans. However, their presence, their goods, and their customs had affected many Indians. These changes had shifted the Native Americans and the Europeans in survival, resources, dominancy and rivalry. At the same time, the Europeans had a strong interest in enabling the Indians to acquire valuable new products. Based on various reasons, the Europeans claim territories and Native Americans were forced either leave, become slaves or rebel even more. As result, many of the Europeans and Native Americans were destroyed by the constant warfare. Thus, the European brought attitude and values that reflects their personal desires; conversion, supremacy, and power that conflicted with the native 's attitude and values about their customs and belief.
The Europeans noticed the native’s lack of knowledge about the divinity of God and use that disadvantage to convert the Native Americans to Christianity to take their wealth. For instance, Christopher Columbus realized that the natives had little to no knowledge about higher beings. This gave Columbus the idea of conversion, as he stated: “Your
Highness should therefore adopt the resolution of converting them to Christianity… and to Spain great riches and immense dominions, with all their inhabitants; there being, without doubt, in these countries vast quantity of gold” (145).
In order for the natives to convert to Christianity, the Europeans forced the natives to follow their deity. As in the Europeans wanted to convert the natives into Christianity; however, to convert the natives, the Europeans had to eliminate other false religion. As it stated, “the Spanish understood native religion as paganism and felt duty bound to eradicate them" (221). Though at first the Native Americans and the Europeans were semi-equal and
Professor Hess
ENG 241
October 4, 2012
How Europeans Change the Native Americans
When Europeans first explored western Virginia in the late 1600s, they discovered few Native Americans. However, their presence, their goods, and their customs had affected many Indians. These changes had shifted the Native Americans and the Europeans in survival, resources, dominancy and rivalry. At the same time, the Europeans had a strong interest in enabling the Indians to acquire valuable new products. Based on various reasons, the Europeans claim territories and Native Americans were forced either leave, become slaves or rebel even more. As result, many of the Europeans and Native Americans were destroyed by the constant warfare. Thus, the European brought attitude and values that reflects their personal desires; conversion, supremacy, and power that conflicted with the native 's attitude and values about their customs and belief.
The Europeans noticed the native’s lack of knowledge about the divinity of God and use that disadvantage to convert the Native Americans to Christianity to take their wealth. For instance, Christopher Columbus realized that the natives had little to no knowledge about higher beings. This gave Columbus the idea of conversion, as he stated: “Your
Highness should therefore adopt the resolution of converting them to Christianity… and to Spain great riches and immense dominions, with all their inhabitants; there being, without doubt, in these countries vast quantity of gold” (145).
In order for the natives to convert to Christianity, the Europeans forced the natives to follow their deity. As in the Europeans wanted to convert the natives into Christianity; however, to convert the natives, the Europeans had to eliminate other false religion. As it stated, “the Spanish understood native religion as paganism and felt duty bound to eradicate them" (221). Though at first the Native Americans and the Europeans were semi-equal and
Citations: Lauter, Paul, Richard Yarborough, and John Alberti. "Don Antonia De Otermin Fl. 1680." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Sixth ed. Vol. A. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub., 2009. 213. Print Lauter, Paul, Richard Yarborough, and John Alberti. "From Fournal of the First Voyage to America, 1492-1493." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Sixth ed. Vol. A. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub., 2009. 144, 145. Print. Lauter, Paul, Richard Yarborough, and John Alberti. "The Coming of the Spanish and the Pueblo Revolt (Hopi)." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Sixth ed. Vol. A. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub., 2009. 221-23. Print