Relationship Between Colonists And Native Americans

The Colonists and Native Americans The relationship between the Colonists and Native Americans was a rocky one to say the least. Often times the focus of American history revolves around the war for independence and the beginning of the American government, but in reality American history began much sooner. Native Americans and early Colonists had once hoped to work together and mutually benefit one another, one can clearly see that this did not work. History shows us how and if violence could have been avoided, what the main causes of conflict were, and which party appeared to be most at fault. One thought provoking question that could be asked is whether violence could have been avoided, or if it was imminent. A big issue the two groups …show more content…
This was an issue since the natives did the rational thing and chose their own over the foreigners. “The seal of the Massachusetts Bay Colony is a Native person saying, “Come over and help us. This was the way the Puritans imagined the Indians were receiving them, as coming to help them, help them to salvation.” (The Relationship Between Puritans and Indians). With the confusion of territory purchases the colonists and natives ended up in a brutal battle for control of resources. The Pequot War was mainly to control trade, “The struggle for control of the fur and wampum trade in the Connecticut River valley was at the root of the Pequot War. Before the arrival of the English in the early 1630s, the Dutch and Pequot controlled all the region’s trade, but the situation was precarious because of the resentment held by the subservient Native American tribes for their Pequot overlords.” ( McBride). The Pequot war helped further divide the colonists against the natives. The natives had accepted war and conflict as part of their lives. The natives had grown used to disagreements between other tribes, but these were often resolved without much bloodshed. “War was commonplace; indeed, it might be described as normal.” (Carson …show more content…
Had the natives been united they most likely could have driven off the colonists, but because they chose to not work together, they became easier targets. “In the early seventeenth century, the arrival of colonial goods, diseases, and people shook up the power relations between rival Indian groups. Welcoming opportunities to trade, the Indians competed to co-opt the newcomers to acquire and employ their power against native enemies.” (Taylor 193). If the Native Americans had worked together, the outcome of which culture proved to be more dominant could have been different. Although the colonists appear to be, and may have been most at fault, it can be clearly seen that both sides played a major role in the violent