Introduction
American culture is an amalgamation of different cultures over the years. Trade has always been an important part of the United States. European explorers looking for new trade routes to India discovered the new world. After discovering the new world, they quickly established trading posts. Their main aim was to search for gold and other precious resources in this new country. However, their expectations were not fulfilled but they quickly established trading relationships with native tribes near their settlements. Most of these native tribes were hostile at first but they saw the advantage of trading with the settlers. Relationships were maintained in a way that saw both the native tribes and European settlers benefit. Trade was the most important of these relationships
. The era of slavery quickly followed. Slaves were shipped in from West Africa primarily to provide labor for the plantations. Plantation farming of cash crops like cotton was fuelling the demand for the product in Europe. Slave trade can be attributed to introducing black culture in the American society. Today, America is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. Most of these cultures were introduced to the country because of trade and trading relationships. Between 1677 and 1877, the most dominant influences on American culture were western cultures brought in by European settlers, Native American culture and African American culture introduced during the slave trade.
Body
Christopher Columbus accidentally discovered America in the late 15th century. His voyage is credited with establishing the longest period of contact between the Americas and the Europeans. After the discovery of the new world, many European explorers came to the new world in search of discovery. Columbus had settled on the southern part and by 1500 the Spanish had already began outposts. Further exploration to the north led to the discovery of the modern United States. At the time, Native American tribes sparsely inhabited the country. By the mid sixteenth century, settlers had already begun settling there.
Early explorers searched for gold and precious metals but soon settlers arrived and with them the colonists. From the very early days, trade was very important for both the Native Americans and the settlers. The native tribes were at first very hostile to the settlers.The settlers used trade to establish relationships with the Native Americans. The Native American fur trade was at the time the most important trading relationship between Native Americans and Europeans (Carlos, Lewis, 15). The wildlife in Europe had almost entirely been wiped out in countries like Britain. The high demand for fur pelts in the country resulted in very good prospects in North America. The natives provided the Europeans with fur in exchange for goods like guns and other weapons. The Native American tribes benefited from this trade since they could get an advantage over other tribes. This fur trade lasted from the 16th century up to the mid 18thcentury. This fur trade formed a point of interaction between the Native Americans and the Europeans who formed a large part of the American culture by the end of this period. During this period, many wars were fought between different European powers. These wars were fought to take control of the fur trade. During these wars, many Native Americans fought in the ranks of the Europeans. This was because some of the native tribes were hostile to each other.
Britain was the European power that prevailed and this led to the introduction of British culture in the United States. This was very important as it has continued to affect the culture of the country today. During this time, the European settlers continued to trade with continental Europe. America was seen as a supplier for the industries in Europe. Many of the raw materials were in form of cash crops in the south. It was common in the British culture to own slaves (Henretta, 12). Slaves were imported from West Africa to provide the labor needed to work on the plantations. The slave trade was important as it introduced the next dominant culture into the United States. The captured slaves came with their own culture from West Africa. Although some of their practices were lost in the era, many practices still remained that have continued to influence American culture to the modern times.
African Americans were introduced into America in order to fuel trade. This is because they could provide labor to the plantations that produced the raw materials for industries in Europe (Northup 2). While this relationship persisted, the British wanted to get financing from American settlers. This led to disagreements and eventually led to the American war of independence in the 18th century. After the end of the war, the American leadership continued to allow slavery but early in the nineteenth century, slavery was abolished. During this time, African American began integrating into mainstream American culture. During this same period, assimilation of Native Americans into American culture also went on. The NativeAmericans were seen as uncivilized and the aims of assimilation were to lead to the Native Americans dropping many of their practices. Influences ofAfrican American culture, Native American culture and British culture could be felt in America’s culture. These influences could be felt in the religion, music, and literature of the country at the time. White culture was seen as the predominant culture of the time and people from other cultures were forced to concede some of their practices and adopt many of the white man’s culture.
Conclusion
The American nation was founded on trade. Early settlers were in search of gold but they settled and started practicing farming. Most of the relationships established between different cultures were a result of trade. The early relationships between Europeans and Native Americans were done in the fur trade where natives traded furs for guns and other goods. The Europeans for farming and settlements based later relationships between the Europeans and Native Americans on the acquisition of native land. African Americans were brought in to the country in order to provide the labor required by these plantations (Solomon, 11).
After many wars over many years, the British colonialists prevailed and during this time, British culture became the dominant European culture in North America (Breen, 6). The wars that led to this development were fueled by the control of trade in the area. The war of independence and the much later abolishment of slave trade were greatly influenced by trade. It is therefore safe to say that modern America culture and especially between 1677 and 1877 was greatly influenced by trade. Relationships formed as a result trade between settlers and natives and between settlers and their European counterparts led to major influences in American culture during the period.
Works Cited:
Ann. M Carlos and Frank D. Lewis, Commerce by a Frozen Sea: Native Americans and the European Fur Trade, (2010) Chapter 2. Print.
TH Breen, The Marketplace of Revolution: How Consumer Politics Shaped American Independence. 2004. Print
James Henretta, “Families and Farms: Mentalite in Preindustrial America. 1991, Print..
Solomon Northup, Twelve Years a Slave. 1853). Print.
