From: Chris McAtee
Date: 1/25/00
Time: 2:34:38 AM
Remote Name: 216.158.29.138
Chris McAtee Prof. William Cutler History 67 Tue. & Thu. 8:40am-10:00am
Week Two: Text Assignment
What does it mean to say that Europeans “conquered” the land and peoples of North America?
Despite any intentions early settlers of America may have had, the consequences of European immigration would leave a permanent and devastating toll on North American native cultures. Old World farming and agricultural techniques combined with the introduction of foreign bacteria and diseases were a lethal combination that would destroy whole eco-systems and kill millions of Native Americans. As smallpox, measles, and influenza took huge tolls on the native population, the settlers regarded the deaths as a cleansing of the land by their Christian deity. According to the textbook, some native tribes suffered population losses of up to 95% within the first one hundred years after contact with Europeans. Native tribes who were located further away from the coasts and settlements of the time were not immediately subjected to same problems as those that were closer, but in the end the traditional ways of most native tribes were all but lost due to the conquest of white European culture. Adding insult to injury, Native Americans who were not fortunate enough to die from the flu were subjected to the Europeans attempts to convert them to Christianity. In addition to religious teachings, the settlers tried to instruct the natives in all aspects of white European culture including dress, schooling, and housing.