European Migration To The Americas: Positive Effects On Native Population

In American history, many overlook the violence that occurred when New England colonists encountered the Native Americans. When the New England colonists arrived in Plymouth in the 1620s and interacted with the Native Americans, they lived in peace with each other for more than 50 years. The colonists instigated a war with the natives to gain more land from the Native Americans and resulted with a massacre. This resulted in colonialism affecting the lives of colonists and Native Americans because both experienced forming an alliance, enduring social change, and deaths.

The academic journal that I decided to review is King Philip 's Herds: Indians, Colonists, and the Problem of Livestock in Early New England by Virginia DeJohn Anderson. My overall impression of this work is that it is very well written and packed with a lot of information. The academic journal gives a deeper understanding to the reader as well as showing how livestock played a role in creating problems between the Native Americans and the colonists. In King Philip 's Herds: Indians, Colonists, and the Problem of Livestock in Early New England, the academic journal follows the struggles as well as the conflicts between the colonists and the Native Americans involving livestock as well as both sides of the argument.

After the Civil War ended many people were in hope of finding land since population was increasing. Since the West was underdeveloped and uncivilized, many decided to expand the land. First the Louisiana Purchase increased the opportunity of expansion.Then industrialization and the Homestead Act also caused many companies encouraged to move West due to the low cost of land and that the transportation was provided through the railroads. In order to complete such goals, something had to be done with the Natives since it conflicted with their home area. Before the 1860’s the native americans were living in peace until the Colonists attacked. The Western Expansion of 1860-90 greatly affected the lives of Native Americans, due to the powerful role

“Then there was great destruction of American Indians by war, disease, and killing work, and the importation of [African Slaves] into Spanish America was begun in order to fill the void in the labor market,” (Columbus, Document 5). This quote explains that Native Americans were dying from diseases, wars, and killing work that Europeans had to start buying slaves from Africa just to do the work of the dead Native Americans. Moreover, Native Americans did get sick, but the diseases weren’t as bad as the ones in Europe. A drastic population decrease happened from diseases which resulted in a small amount of Native Americans left. For one reason, it was common for rodents to get on ships and getting to the new land, and rodents can carry diseases. Another reason is that Native Americans weren’t immune to these diseases and when the diseases came to the New World, their immune system and body's weren’t ready for it. Furthermore, Columbus wrote that wars had also started between them, these wars happened from land and other reasons. After Native Americans started to die, Europeans brought African slaves to replace the Native

The natives did not receive correct treatment from those who conquered their land. For example, Hernan Cortes demanded that the natives must change their beliefs. The Aztecs would sacrifice 50 souls every year to their gods. Cortes opposed of this and therefor forced them to adopt a new religion. The Aztecs didn’t easily accept the new religion since they have been following their religion for a very long time (document 3). Conquerors also threatened the natives. It was required that the natives accept the Church as the “Ruler”, and if they didn’t, war would be made against them and their family would become enslaved (document 7). The natives in America suffered severely during this time. In Latin America, the Spanish conquerors overworked the Indian natives and treated them harshly. The Spaniards broke apart families and relationships so that they would have limited contact with each other and would be forced to give up their customs. They were also required to learn Christianity (document 8). The native peoples’ land and space was invaded and they were required to do whatever the conquerors said, or else they would be punished. This era in history is a devastating time for an immense amount of people.

Although many history classes have taught us that Native American societies were primitive, Charles Mann along with other historians argued that Native Americans did possessed a complexed history prior to Columbus, closer examination shows that they had large rich societies in, architecture, and agriculture. Mann believes the “Indian” population was larger, and their societies more accomplished, than was earlier believed. He estimates 40-60 million, but the count keeps rising. Another false belief was that the Indians lived on the land without touching it. In fact, they used "slash and burn" to clear and create grasslands for cultivation. In the north, Indians also used this method to pushed back the hordes of bison, deer and passenger

Native Americans were greatly affected by the expansion of the United States during the 1800s. As the U.S. moved west, they stole large amounts of Native American land by settling the land and killing the Natives who once lived there. Also during this time, their culture was being taken from them due to assimilation. While United States citizens were expanding into the west, many Native American lives were lost. They were also responsible for destroying a major food and supply source for Native Americans.

When the Europeans began colonizing the New World, they had a problematic relationship with the Native Americans. The Europeans sought to control a land that the Natives inhabited all their lives. They came and decided to take whatever they wanted regardless of how it affected the Native Americans. They legislated several laws, such as the Indian Removal Act, to establish their authority. The Indian Removal Act had a negative impact on the Native Americans because they were driven away from their ancestral homes, forced to adopt a different lifestyle, and their journey westwards caused the deaths of many Native Americans.

Some say Christopher Columbus was a hero because he was the explorer that discovered America. In reality, Christopher Columbus had an incredibly negative impact on the world because he enslaved the Native Americans, didn’t help the kind Natives when they got infected by diseases that the Spaniards had brought to America, and killed off most of the Native American population. The tactics he chose to use were violent and destructive by the standards back then and now.

With them came smallpox, measles, chicken pox, influenza, and many other diseases. “Before the arrival of Columbus, Native American disease wasn’t dominant in the land. Due to the lack of exposure of disease in their younger years, Native Americans were vulnerable to the European diseases that would come with the Columbian Exchange. The diseases would soon destroy many societies of the ancient Aztec, Maya, and Inca. Through many estimates it is foreseen that alien diseases caused over 50% deaths of the Native American population. On the other hand, Europeans didn’t have the same effect when they came in contact with these diseases. Exposed to the diseases at an early age, Europeans were mostly to fully immune. With the devastating effects of disease, native culture was starting to change. Persuaded that their native gods have abandoned them, many natives converted to Christianity. Forced by disease, natives usually married relatives that survived the diseases since appropriate partners were scarce. Furthermore, disease also influenced the African Slave Trade to the Americas. With Africans being immune to Old World diseases other than the Native Americans, many Europeans preferred the African as the better slave.”(The Great Disease Migration)

In the 1850’s the United States faced one of the most important issues which was the Westward Expansion. The Westward Expansion was the movement of easterners to the West.

Many nationalities came to America in hopes of a better life for them and their families. However, it was not easy time for them after arriving in America. Each nationality encountered obstacles, some more difficult than others, but in the end they each persevered.

There were both positive and negative effects when the Spanish found the Native Americans. One positive example is the Spanish and Native Americans had rare occasions of positive interactions. A negative example is that the Spanish enslaved the Native Americans and African Americans. Although there were many negative consequences of the Spanish going to America, there were also a plentiful amount of positives for both

Power relations could be anything that sets two things apart, whether that is the ability to accomplish something or act in a specific manner. This is what gives a certain group of individuals the power to interact or control other groups. This concept can be visualized by the relationship pertaining to that of White Settlers and Native Americans during the late 1700s and through to the late 1800s. Cultural influence in regards to the white settlers can bring many gains and opportunities stemming from the political rivalries, the interaction between beliefs, and how individuals viewed one another in general. The culture of the Natives was ultimately altered due to the arrival of these pioneers because of the gradual integration of white values and practices into their society.

America was a new place that full of fertile lands and plentiful resources. In 17th century, Europeans broke the quiet life of America. Lots of Europeans decided to migrate to America. Some of them wanted to be rich and some of them sought religious freedom. All of them went to America with hope, however, Europeans’ migration interfered with Indians seriously. And also the lives of Europeans were affected. For Indians and Europeans, the hurt they got fur more than the benefits they got in America. Therefore, America should be view as a nightmare for both Europeans and Indians because diseases and frequent wars made them suffering in America.