Europeans and Native Americans

Europeans and Native Americans

During the 16th and 17th centuries, when the Europeans started to come over to the new world, they discovered a society that was strikingly different to their own. That society was of the Native Americans. To understand how different, one must first compare and contrast some of the very important differences between them, such as their beliefs as far as religion, land ownership, social and family values. The Europeans considered the Native Americans to be savages, while, considering themselves civilized. The Europeans considered themselves to be a model society, and they thought that the Native American society and culture should be changed to be very similar to their own.

The Europeans and the Native Americans had very contrasting ideas of personal wealth and ownership. The Europeans believed that only the rich should own land and owning land meant a high social status which they lived by. The Native Americans believed that property belonged to no one and that the land was sacred. They did not believed in any hierarchy system. Because they often come to terms about the land there were many fights.

Religion was another wall of separation between the Native Americans and Europeans. The Native Americans regarded nature as spiritual existences guiding them through their days. Europeans considered themselves Christian and wanted to convert the Native Americans to their ways.

The Native Americans were slightly amazed at all the advancements the Europeans were making; however, the Europeans looked down upon them and basically took what they wanted from them.

The Native Americans begin to get sick and died out. The Europeans had brought over

diseases that the Native Americans had not experienced and were not immune to. They

Europeans came to the new world for their gain and in the end caused many losses.