Describe and analyze the nature of indian/white reations on the frontier from 1607-1763 - Essay Example

However, not everything in the Native American/White relations was entirely gruesome. Oppression and conflicts with white people turned Native Americans into a nation with remarkable adaptation potential. As a result, while European colonialism was pushing Native American populations westwards, the latter were developing the degree of flexibility, adaptability and cohesion that had been unknown to native populations before 1607. That the history of Native American/ White relations is covered with blood, fear, and oppression cannot be denied.

Many authors described then in their soulful writings that shows the audience the pictures of regrettable wars between Native Americans and New Americans. By the middle of the 17th century, European colonies were established all over the New England, the Chesapeake Bay, with the original Americans occupying the western part of the continent (U.S. Department of State). At that time, Native Indians had already familiarized themselves with new European settlers, who constantly challenged their traditions and established way of life (U.S. Department of State). . Department of State).

Indians regularly rebelled against the imperialism and power of the European missionaries, who obviously did not want to reconcile and co-exist with Native populations on one and the same land. However, not everything was entirely gruesome, and the relations between Native Americans and Whites were filled with various events and sometimes their relations turned positive. It should be noted, that “the critical spiritual issue for the English colonists of the seventeenth century was to decide whether to respect the American landscape and native peoples or to fear them” (Bourne 170).

Native Americans benefited from the European presence in America, since they had access to trade, new technologies, cooking utensils, knives and fish hooks (U.S. Department of State). The seventeenth century marked the turning point in the development of Native American contacts with missionaries and traders, which profoundly challenged their cultural patterns. As a result, against evident destruction and loss, Native Americans developed unprecedented flexibility and adaptability to the new circumstances of life (Griffiths & Cervantes 43).

When two cultures collide, violence and destruction are inevitable. However, as Native Americans were destined to suffer the risks of extinction, they were also fated to become flexible, adaptable, and prepared to the challenges of colonial life. This is the reason why they managed to save their own culture and traditions. The European presence invoked total transformation of the Native American worldview. The dissemination of European ideas generated various responses: for example, small Algonquian groups reproduced and redistributed European ideas, to