Interactions Between Europeans And Native Americans

Interactions between Europeans and Native Americans While attempting to find a faster route to the Indies, Christopher Columbus discovered another land instead. Since the English, French and Spanish were all seeking power at the time that same land would soon after be explored. As the news of the discovery spread, the English shortly found power in the acquisition of the land itself, the French in fur trade, and the Spanish in conquering and exploiting the Native Americans that originally inhabited the area. During the process of fulfilling their achievements, each European had different approaches and distinct encounters with the local Native Americans. The English initially had friendly relationships with them, but with time and trade, hostility …show more content…
After the land party divided itself into five groups, all reaching the coast of Texas, their negotiating skills would be put to the test. According to the information that was presented in the book, Cabeza de Vaca’s and Dorantes-Castillo’s groups got washed up among friendly Indians while the rest of the five groups died of starvation or attacks by Indians on the exact same island. The Native Americans that chose to let the two surviving groups live did not attack them when they arrived, but instead, provided them with food after the well-educated Spaniard Cabeza de Vaca negotiated with either the Capoques or the Hans (he failed to specify exactly which). It can be concluded that the same or something similar occurred with Dorantes-Castillo’s group. When the Native Americans approached Cabeza de Vaca’s group, they were weak and therefore unable to put up a fight had they been immediately attacked. Being well aware that an assault would leave them all dead, Cabeza de Vaca decided to offer a plea to the Native Americans. After a few days of only receiving food from them, Cabeza de Vaca asked if they would be willing to take them in. The explorer dared to ask such a thing with the wellbeing of his group in mind. The Natives agreed, but shortly after, the host-guest relationship they had gradually turned into that of master and slave. The …show more content…
The relationship between the French and the Native Americans spurred out of the inability of the French to get the furs wanted by the Europeans back home. The main relationship between these two groups was that of traders. Apart from engaging with them for trading purposes, they also sought to convert the Indians into followers of Christianity. Unlike their European counterparts, the French were more lenient when it came to the Native Americans converting. The Jesuits would not suppress all traditional practices, therefore allowing them some success in converting the Indians. The biggest difference/view can be noted from Samuel de Champlain’s view of the natives as “he denied that Native Americans were intellectually or culturally inferior to Europeans.” Instead, he viewed the Native Americans as equals. Trade, religious tolerance, and de Champlain’s view of the Native Americans allowed the French to have a beneficial partnership with the local Native Americans, differing from the other