Friday, September 25, 2015
Native World Versus Euopean World, a Clash, 1400-1600
After comparing and contrasting the way of life for the Europeans and Native Americans in class, please describe the similarities and differences between the two groups. What beliefs, values, and cultural differences made it extremely difficult for the two groups to coexist? Also, please respond to two of your classmate's posts as well.
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The beliefs,values and cultural differences that made it extremely difficult for the 2 groups to coexist are important because as it is to appreciate the affinities between the religious cultures of Indians and early modern Europeans there were real differences that must be kept in mind. The most important is that Indians did not distinguish between the natural and the supernatural. On the contrary, Native Americans perceived the “material” and “spiritual” as a unified realm of being—a kind of extended kinship network. In their view, plants, animals and humans partook of divinity through their close connection with “guardian spirits,” a myriad of “supernatural” entities who imbued their “natural” kin with life and power. By contrast, Protestant and Catholic traditions were more inclined to emphasize the gulf that separated the pure, spiritual beings in heaven—God, the angels, and saints—from sinful men and women mired in a profane world filled with temptation and evil. Many key Indian religious beliefs and practices bore broad but striking resemblances to those current among early modern Europeans, both Catholic and Protestant. These cultures, too, credited a creation myth (as set forth in Genesis), venerated a Creator God, dreaded a malicious subordinate deity (Lucifer), and looked forward to the individual soul’s immortality in an afterlife superior in every respect to the here and now. They, too, propitiated their deity with prayers and offerings and relied upon a specially trained clergy to sustain their societies during periods of crisis. Finally, the great majority of early modern Europeans feared witches and pondered the meaning of their dreams.
ReplyDeletei agree with your statement youngin, the natives and europeans viewed things differently
DeleteThe Native American worldview was drastically different from the European American worldview. They both had different viewpoints. This made it hard for them to get along. The first permanent European settlers in New England began arriving in sixteen twenty. They wanted to live in peace with the Indians. They needed to trade with them for food. The settlers also knew that because they were so few in number, a battle with the Indians would result in their own quick defeat. But they had problems immediately. The most serious difference is the way that the Indians and the Europeans thought about land. This difference created problems. Owning land was extremely important to the European settlers, because land to them meant wealth. But, the Indians believed that no one could own land. They believed, however, that anyone could use it. Anyone who wanted to live on a piece of land and grow crops could do so. This was a big difference between the two, they definitely didn’t see eye to eye when it came to their land and what they could own/use.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement because the Europeans and the Native Americans had two completely different lifestyle and it would be hard for both to cooperate and have two separate pieces of land to divide them. Although the Europeans as you said Value land its like diamonds to them so this would go to them fighting for more and more land and as this was happening they were also taking Natives into slavery.
DeleteEach side had a completely different lifestyle which would make it hard for the Natives and the Europeans to get along and to live in peace. This was happening at the begging when the Europeans new that they needed the Natives as Allies for resources such as food and water because all the Europeans came off a boat with nothing but with infections, lice and with a stench that like a dumpster. The Natives accepted everything and took each European into shelter and made them healthy. As soon as this happen the Europeans started to take over and they knew that they would easily win because they have weapons and they are all know healthy and ready to fight for land and resources.
ReplyDeletei agree with your statement rami, the europeans needed the indians for resources
DeleteI agree with you Rami because it was hard for the Natives and Europeans to get along.How you said at the beginning when the Europeans new that they needed the the Natives as Allies for resources such as food and water because all the Europeans came off a boat with nothing but with infections, lice and with a stench that like a dumpster.
DeleteLooking at the difference between the European's and Native American's point of view, they both didn’t have much in common with their beliefs, values, and culture. With the Europeans coming to colonize on the natives land the two had to cope with their differences and share the land that was once was all the Natives. The Europeans had to stay on the Natives good side since they were the ones invading the Natives land. They stayed on good terms with the natives so that they could trade goods with the natives and avoid conflict that would result in war and the natives defeating the Europeans with their large numbers as the out come. The Natives and Europeans valued the land differently. The natives saw it more as their home and they valued the land as beautiful. The Europeans didn’t cherish the land like the Natives did, they saw the land as money and valued the gold and diamonds and riches that the land distribute.
ReplyDeleteafter looking at the topic you could tell that the natives and europeans would have a lot of problems they both had to live together on native soil and the europeans were trying to colonize their land, they didnt have lot in common as far as beliefs, values, and culture obviously since they are from two different parts of the world. the europeans knew they would need the natives since they knew more about the land and they would need help with clothing and food so they had to stay on their good side for trading reasons, the reason they had a problem was that the europeans saw the natives land as like a gold mine for them to make money off of and the natives have come accustom to that land as their homes and a landmark this is why it was hard for them to get along
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement because you said hey both had to live together on native soil and the Europeans were trying to colonize their land, they didn't have lot in common as far as beliefs, values, and culture obviously since they are from two different parts of the world. You said the Europeans knew they would need the natives since they knew more about the land and they would need help with clothing and food so they had to stay on their good side for trading reasons.
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