The Effects of European Contact

On October 12, 1492 a cannon was ordered fired from the Spanish Pinta by the leader of the expedition, Christopher Columbus. The reason, the sighting of land. Little did Columbus know, he had embarked upon something greater than he believed existed. He had found what was called by Europeans, the “New World” , a new beginning for mankind. His discovery of thousands of miles of new, free, and untouched land has made his name one of the most widely recognized to this day.

What Columbus failed to recognize was that many cultures had existed on this “new land” for untold thousands of years. According to historians, across what is now North and Central America existed a population of around five million natives, more than Europe in that time. Untold amounts of human societies, languages and dialects, advanced knowledge of astronomical observations and solar calendars, natural medicine, and sacred tradition were developed and passed down from ancient generations, yet, what Columbus and his men saw were mere savages in need of reform. They believed the natives to be inferior and in need of education, religion, and European law. In the centuries following, this view would have a huge impact on the Native American way of life. They would be pushed from their land, tortured, enslaved, and forced to abandon their way of life and reform to the ways of the new settlers. Their lives would be forever changed, and because of their lack of technology there was nothing they could have done to prevent their fate.

For thousands of years before the Europeans began to explore and colonize North America, hundreds of different Native American nations with different languages and customs wandered the country. Though there were hundreds of different tribes, there were several beliefs and ways of living that they all had in common. They lived in a way that sustained the land, the resources, and the people. Renewable natural resources were primarily used for daily needs including clothing, food, and shelter. There were 10 different cultural regions, and the people living in each developed ways of living and using the land and resources in similar ways. Hunting, gathering, cooking, making homes, and storing food were all part of daily life for Native Americans in all regions. An intimate relationship between the people and the land and animals was a major part of Native American beliefs, and it extended out in all aspects of their lives. They respected the land and felt it was important to keep it healthy, clean, and not be wasteful of it’s resources. They believed in only using resources as needed while allowing for the needs of tomorrow. Anything that was hunted or taken from the earth was used to protect or feed the people and nothing was left to spoil. Their existence depended on the land, weather, and resources, and therefore it was held sacred to them. Though varied between different tribes, ceremony and respect was a part of life.

Social systems were varied from simple to complex including societies and clans. Some tribes had to move for different seasons to follow the animals and cultivate land, while some could establish permanent villages. Simple social organizations existed in harsh climates, and complex organizations existed in rich climates where people could form long term villages and relations. In most regions there were friendly relations and bonds made between tribes for peace and trade. Art, including pottery, basketry, and weaving was traded both for necessity and craft. Though war was a part of some regions lives, overall the Native Americans were a peaceful people who tried to avoid unfriendly relations with neighboring tribes. Because the people were primarily hunter gatherers, they depended on each other to survive. Unfriendly relationships were a disadvantage to their lives. Their weapons were limited to spears and bow and arrows, and were used mainly for hunting, a job for the brave and respected men. Tradition was passed down through generations by the way of storytelling from the elders, and ways of life were taught to children by the parents and adults in the tribe. The people of North America and the Western Hemisphere were intelligent and disease free. Though this way of life had flourished for thousands of years with peace and success, new and unwanted trends in Native American life would soon begin because of European influence.

When Columbus and his men reached the shore of what is now the Bahamas, he was greeted by faces of surprise and welcome. The natives wore little clothing and ornaments of precious metal. Though he and his men were gracious in the beginning, the metals only convinced Columbus he had discovered a land of vast wealth that needed to be harvested. Columbus gave these natives the name, Indians, and left behind 39 men to harvest the fortune as he set back on his voyage to Europe to report what he had found. He left behind so few