The history of the first Americans used to be shrouded in mystery for quite a long, with multiple gray areas remaining. However, based on the existing historical analysis and studies, the first inhabitants of the North American continent were represented by hunter-gatherer tribes. Moreover, the lineage of Native American tribes extends to voyagers who traveled across Northwest rivers. Overall, the Native American community represents an amalgam of ancient cultures.
The difference between the settled tribes of Meso-America and the nomadic ones of the North can be explained by the environments in which these tribes lived. Being near the ocean, Northern tribes preferred to explore it, whereas Meso-Americans did not have the access to the specified resource. Due to the traveling opportunities and the chance to explore a wider variety of resources, the northern tribes were significantly more developed. Specifically, by collaborating with other tribes, Northern residents embraced a broader range of cultural practices, integrating them into their traditions and lifestyle. Moreover, the described approach allowed for faster development and expansion of the language that Northern tribes spoke. Consequently, the proximity to the ocean and the associated opportunities provided a plethora of options for robust development for the specified community.
However, with the increase in the desire to expand politically and gain new economic resources, European citizens started considering colonizing other countries and cultures. Though Columbus is typically credited for discovering North America, Scandinavian communities reached the New World significantly before Columbus did. However, these were the aggressive actions and politics of European settlers, particularly Spanish conquistadors, that led to the notoriously brutal colonization of North America and its residents. The aggression of Spanish settlers, as well as their military skills and equipment, allowed them to conquer Native Americans.
Before the settlers arrived in North America, local cultures were significantly different from the traditions and practices accepted in the Old World. Specifically, indigenous populations thrived in North America and evolved actively. Among the cultural differences between Europe and America at the time, the nature of economic activities and the emphasis on expansion observed in Europe should be listed. In fact, the need to search for new territories with untapped potential and a plethora of resources that could be utilized for the benefit of colonists was one of the main factors driving the discovery of America and the further oppression of its indigenous people. Among European colonists, Spain was particularly violent and aggressive in its attempts at conquering the New World; however, colonists from other countries, including England, were also exceptionally aggressive toward Native Americans.
Unfortunately, the results of the settlers’ contact with Native American residents were deleterious to the latter. Apart from their violent and aggressive behavior, which sought to subjugate the indigenous population of America, colonists brought dangerous diseases to the New World, thus, creating premises for the genocide of Native American people. Furthermore, the cultural implications of the contact were dire, with the colonists taking over the cultural legacy of residents and stifling it. The efforts of English settlers to colonize Native Americans involved the active use of slavery alongside the focus on trade and the active use of the available options for enhancing the economic infrastructure through expansion while neglecting the needs and rights of indigenous people.
However, in the process, English settlers experienced a range of obstacles. Among these, diseases endemic to North America and attacks on native residents of the continent should be mentioned a primary steps ones. In turn, to adjust to the described issues, colonists adopted an approach allowing them to reach an agreement with local tribes. The efforts of English colonists were reinforced by Puritan beliefs, which h were characterized by particular rigidity and adherence to traditions. Being particularly pious and relying on God’s grace, Puritans dominated English culture and politics of the time. In their effort to promote God’s grace and convert people to proper Catholic beliefs, Puritans viewed the New World as an area that had to be voided of sin. Puritans were especially authoritarian in their beliefs compared to other religious groups, such as Quakers.
The process of North America’s colonization was undeniably violent and barbaric. Though Native American communities resisted the process of erasing their culture, settlers eventually subjugated residents, effectively committing cultural genocide. By using faith as justification for the attacks on Native American people, colonists focused on aggressive capture, although signs of refusal to encourage further violence emerged in some of the key political figures’ rhetoric.
Since the very emergence of colonists in the Native American context, local culture and traditions were in peril due to the mercantile nature of European settlers’ efforts. As the existing records of Native American lifestyles indicate, agriculture and related activities were the main focus, to which the concepts of the Three Sisters (maize, beans, and squash) point.
However, with the impact of colonialists, keeping Native American culture intact became a nearly impossible task. Specifically, Spanish pueblos and English settlements ousted Native American traditions and ideas. Therefore, Native American culture was neglected and dominated by Western one.
The specified phenomenon can be seen as the direct effect of the Columbine exchange. In the course of Columbian exchange, Native American people were tragically deceived. Moreover, they were deprived of an array of essential resources.
In addition, the efforts of European colonists to construe the reality that erased the existence of Native Americans were truly immense. For instance, the Black legend narrative, which implied the introduction of fabricated facts into American history, led to rewriting a substantial part of the harm that European settlers did to Native Americans. The described attempts were enhanced by the introduction of religious frameworks that were supposedly encouraging the specified perspective.
For instance, Jonathan Edwards’ Puritanism sermons served the purpose of promoting colonialism as a false narrative of ostensibly purifying pagan cultures. Namely, they were used to cleanse Native American culture of the relevant religious beliefs and introduce Christianity instead.
George Whitfield’s Calvinism had a similar impact on the Native American community. Specifically, Calvinist ideas as a more rigid version of Catholicism was utilized to promote Western ideas actively. As a result, Native American history was erased and replaced.
However, the specified false narratives turned out to be unsustainable in the long term. Establishing the dominion of New England as the last resort of colonialist principles represented the final and quite pointless effort to maintain the status quo. However, the specified attempts dissipated quite soon.
Specifically, the Scottish Revolution established new ideas regarding the significance of Native Americans’ lives. Thus, the endeavor to foist European culture and traditions onto Native American people could be seen as failing, with most of Native American principles remaining in place.
Bacons’ Rebellion that followed shortly after enhanced the specified sentiment. Admittedly, a lot of Native Americans were affected by the dominant hostile culture. Bacon’s rebellion could be seen as a major challenge to the established authority. Thus, it became the crucial point of the resistance process.
Overall, concepts such as the extended family, which supported keeping traditions alive, persisted. As a result, Native American culture was preserved. Though having been affected by colonialism drastically, it persevered. At the same time, it was drastically affected by colonialism, being in need for a long recovery.
Despite the presence of certain sympathy toward Native Americans among settlers, which could be observed in the changes within the political dynamics, particularly with the development of Bacon’s rebellion as the culmination of the described conflict, colonial tendencies were still prevalent in the target environment. As a result, Native American culture was not only stifled but virtually eviscerated. Therefore, the general effect that colonialists left on Native American culture and the lives of its people was drastically adverse.