The question that needs to be asked in this instance is whether the concept of the ace existed ninety years ago or still exists in America. Is it a cultural issue or a scientific fact? And lastly, have racial issues been conformed to the historical notions or should be abandoned for some kind of ignorance? Either way, this paper will discuss the issue of racism, in the period between 1783 and1836.
Therefore, the focus of the American history narrative needs to be on the country’s implementation, immigrants and other races, excluding the whites, who are included in the narratives, give a sense of belonging to the new generations.
This is because, African American children could learn the three hundred years of slavery and discrimination, whereas, the descendants of Native Indians in America could learn about their genocide and displacement. Additionally, the Japanese-Americans could learn about the internment camps and the Mexican immigrants about how they were forcibly repatriated during the period of depression.
The roots of the English colonial settlement in America were not to establish freedom and democracy but to fulfill their desire for imperialism and conquest. Therefore, the drawing of boundaries was based on the racial factor, which was unforeseen in the age of exploration and colonialism. For instance, the Tempest by Shakespeare was a conversation on civilization, race, and savagery.
To the colonizers, American Indians seemed to be guided by their bodily desires and needs, which were signs of animal-like behavior and savagery. The English believed that they could control their natural abilities, as part of civilization, in spite of evidence of the social organization and farming activities of the Indians.
From the series of revolutions in the 17th century in America, political theorists like Thomas Jefferson and John Locke eventually developed the idea of the rights of the English people, a universal theory of rights of all men. In essence, these universal rights favored the whites, while applying only a few clauses to the blacks, Indians and the minority immigrants like the Swedes.
Even in his declaration of Independence, Jefferson took the theory of one group and applied it to the rest of the people in America, or at least all men. These rights, however, were not extended to the Native Americans, who were seen as merciless and savages.
Americans, especially the whites, have used masquerades of the Indians since the colonial period, to part themselves from the rigid hierarchies of the colonialists. They did this by acting like Indians, and since then have claimed the positive traits of the Native Americans. These include economic independence, self-reliance and their connection to nature.
They praised the Native Americans; while on the other hand, they yearned for their land and treated the Indians as the inferior race, which was doomed for extinction in no time. However, the images that portrayed represented the culture and life of the Indians were outdated and has no home in the modern culture of America.
Additionally, most Americans representations of the Native Americans either convey little or no message at all about the real lives of their nations and people. Instead, even up to the present day, the representations still convey a message of how the Americans perceived the Indians’ way of life and their attitude towards them.
This also goes for the blacks and the minority immigrants’ population. As much as blacks tend to play their own roles, the white Americans normally direct them.
The blacks come off as very angry people towards the white Americans, which is not the case. This is because the whites still believe that black Americans are still angry about their slavery three hundred years ago. For the minority immigrant populations, they are normally portrayed as the inferior groups, with savage like behaviors.
For instance, the Irish were portrayed as such by the English colonialists, and the Swedish immigrants to America were portrayed as so. This can be seen from the Journey from Sweden to Texas, where their mode of transport was not the best, even after they arrived in America, they were put in ships under very poor conditions, they lacked food as they were betrayed by the sailors who had gone to get provisions.
Even after they had reached their destination, those who received them were their fellow Swedish and not anyone of any other race. This is evident enough that the Americans made it possible to separate themselves from everyone else.
In conclusion, it is notable that racism existed between the period of 1783 and 1836, and even until now, it still exists. Those who suffered in the hands of the white Americans were mostly the Black Americans, the Native Americans, and the small immigrant populations.
The white Americans sought to separate themselves from the rest because they saw themselves as superior to other races. They even compared other races to savages, because they were in touch with nature and the environment. The white Americans, however, saw that civilization was the way to go for everyone.
Bibliography
Tindall, George Brown, and David E. Shi. America: a narrative history. New York: W.W. Norton & Co, 2010.
Swenson Johannes. ”A Journey from Sweden to Texas – 90 Years Ago”. Swedish Pioneer Historical Society. 8, no. 4 (1957):. 128-135.