The Civil War Peter Silver Analysis

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Throughout this novel, Peter Silver justifies the actions of the early American colonies. This paper will illustrate how America has and still reacts to fear and horror. Peter Silver tries to clarify that the motives behind the war were based on fear instead of racism. He uses pictures, poems, maps, and other symbols throughout the story to help state his claim. The first photograph sets the tone of the book. Silver paints a portrait of what seems to be Native Americans, with ax in hand, killing and scalping women. There is even a Native with a baby in one hand, arm extended, and forwardly leaning as if he is about to kill the baby by hitting it up against the tree. These types of gruesome acts put fear into the Europeans’. The European’s actions were a reaction to the acts done by the Indians. The European settlers viewed and thought of fear as Americans do in this day and age due to the tragedies of 9/11. This day has smeared fear across this country for…show more content…
Prior to the Indian wars, Europeans saw themselves as being the elite race. Both cultures had better education and believed to be the more dominate force. It took an act of terror to help each race to open their eyes to a bigger picture. Once they had seen such devastation, they would now realize and fear the unknown. Such terror and horror brought fear and unity. Prior to both acts, each race was fighting within each other. Now the fighting would become mutual among them and focused on a common enemy. In a way, fear of the unknown and unpredictable helped both culture mature and mole into one united force. Peter Silver stated best “the rhetoric of a suffering people all bound into one body and forming a single interest, free of religious or national bigotry, was trumpeted as never before.” As times continue and the unities continue to strengthen, the mourning transitioned to hate and anger. Such anger would lead to hate and the thought of
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