First Peoples - Chapter 3 Questions for Consideration

770 Words4 Pages
First Peoples - Chapter 3 questions for consideration Throughout history, colonial America has been portrayed as a dangerous place for European settlers. History has been reduced to a story of settlers attempting to claim land while native Americans burn their houses. The truth is, conflict between Europeans and Indians was far more complicated. Colonial America was generally more dangerous for the Indians than it was for Europeans. Diplomatic strategies varied among the Indians, English, and French and largely depended on where the strategies were employed. Many Indians lived in or near colonial settlements. They realized the economic opportunities and took advantage. Sometimes they worked in the settlements for wages, working in plantations or on ships. Hunters traded slain animals while others traded corn, baskets, or other crafts they had made. At times, Indians would even attend European schools, learning to read and write. Although the American Indians seemed to assimilate to European cultures in colonial settlements, the opposite was true in Indian territory. When Europeans ventured into Indian territory, they would adhere to the Indian culture and would follow practices such as exchanging gifts and smoking peace pipes. Indian alliances were said to be expensive and time consuming to be preserved. The French lacked many of the advantages of the British. To improve their diplomacy, they would live in Indian territory, learn Indian languages, and adopt Indian cultures. The French even married Indian wives. This allowed the French to enter into a kinship with the Indians, making the fur trade very successful. The British realized that their fate on the American continent was dependent on their relations with the Indians. They created treaties with the Indians to form alliances and to show that the Indians were subject to English law. They

More about First Peoples - Chapter 3 Questions for Consideration

Open Document