Native Americans and Their Fight for Simplicity The earliest accounts of Native Americans expressed a civilization with a great sense of community. A civilization that was based on essentials, treasuring items that only improved their well-being. A civilization far from excessive, doing only enough to provide for themselves. Native Americans, which consisted of many different tribes from different areas, were diverse but shared a common love for the land. When European explorers traveled across the Atlantic Ocean sometime in the early fifteen hundreds, a unique relationship began. These explorers, in search of new land for trade and prosperity, found the Native people. What began as a humble rapport would soon turn into a struggle.
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In this account, Thomas Morton, a community leader in Massachusetts, touches all subjects from their religion to their trade relations. He includes that even though there is no official religion of these people, they still acknowledge the presence of a God and his charitable work to the Native people. He goes on to describe their standard of living as a peaceful one. Having a small house with a fire burning in the middle for warmth. “If any one that shall come into their houses and their fall asleep, when they see him disposed to lie down, they will spread a mat for him of their own accord, and lay a roll of skins.”(Foner, 5) The quote describes the Native American culture of having guest over their house. Morton also includes they were a culture not to complicate things explaining their minimal utensil set. This account is accurate with Native American culture and their standard of living. If one was to need a place to rest and rehabilitate, they would provide that with no question. Morton was generally pleased with the Natives way of life, but found one account very summoning. Morton referred to their religion as one of trickery. The Natives were deeply spiritual and performed tricks to enforce their beliefs. Morton believed they were acts of Satan and thus did not …show more content…
They bartered frequently and shared ideas with each other that proved valuable. As more colonists arrived to the east coast, more land was needed and colonies tried expanding westward. The biggest disagreement between natives and the colonists was that the natives believed the land belonged to no one. They believed to take what was needed ignoring the Europeans style of land ownership. Foner’s “Nathaniel Bacon on Bacon’s Rebellion” shows the clash of cultures as the colonists began their march west. Nathaniel Bacon, wealthy southern planter, ignited confrontation when he led a small uprising to the local government to remove Indians where land was needed to expand. He called out local Governor of Virginia, William Berkeley, for his taxes on southern farmers and his stern policy on Native Americans. Nathaniel Bacon’s uprising failed because the attack, which was focused against the Virginia Government, met heavy resistance. However it was the beginning of bad blood between the English settlers and Native
In this account, Thomas Morton, a community leader in Massachusetts, touches all subjects from their religion to their trade relations. He includes that even though there is no official religion of these people, they still acknowledge the presence of a God and his charitable work to the Native people. He goes on to describe their standard of living as a peaceful one. Having a small house with a fire burning in the middle for warmth. “If any one that shall come into their houses and their fall asleep, when they see him disposed to lie down, they will spread a mat for him of their own accord, and lay a roll of skins.”(Foner, 5) The quote describes the Native American culture of having guest over their house. Morton also includes they were a culture not to complicate things explaining their minimal utensil set. This account is accurate with Native American culture and their standard of living. If one was to need a place to rest and rehabilitate, they would provide that with no question. Morton was generally pleased with the Natives way of life, but found one account very summoning. Morton referred to their religion as one of trickery. The Natives were deeply spiritual and performed tricks to enforce their beliefs. Morton believed they were acts of Satan and thus did not …show more content…
They bartered frequently and shared ideas with each other that proved valuable. As more colonists arrived to the east coast, more land was needed and colonies tried expanding westward. The biggest disagreement between natives and the colonists was that the natives believed the land belonged to no one. They believed to take what was needed ignoring the Europeans style of land ownership. Foner’s “Nathaniel Bacon on Bacon’s Rebellion” shows the clash of cultures as the colonists began their march west. Nathaniel Bacon, wealthy southern planter, ignited confrontation when he led a small uprising to the local government to remove Indians where land was needed to expand. He called out local Governor of Virginia, William Berkeley, for his taxes on southern farmers and his stern policy on Native Americans. Nathaniel Bacon’s uprising failed because the attack, which was focused against the Virginia Government, met heavy resistance. However it was the beginning of bad blood between the English settlers and Native