Question one
Impact of European on the Native Americans
European invaders came along with deadly ailments against which the Americans Natives had no protection. Contagious diseases like chicken pox, typhus, and smallpox which were less deadly among the Europeans, proved dangerous to the natives. Such diseases were the main reason for a drastic fall in the human population of the Native Americans. Indian people lacked the necessary measures to curb themselves against Europeans viruses which caused the ailments. Such outbreaks among the Americans’ history called the “virgin soil epidemics” led to a drastic population reduction of nearly ninety percent which was termed as the highest demographic tragedy in the world (P. 40)
Before the Europeans’ arrival in America, the natives were using less sophisticated instruments referred to as Stone Age tools made from woods, stones, and bones. Although some cultures were significantly advanced in agriculture, they did not have adequate knowledge of using metal and steel in making their working tools. Europeans came to America with more valuable metal tools and weapons which helped them considerably in conquering the natives. However, the Native Americans did not take long before realizing that metal instrumentals were more efficient than Stone Age tools. In a nutshell, European precious metal was among the first items of Columbian exchange. This exchange enabled the introduction of silver coins which marked the beginning of the contemporary period of world history which began in the United States (P.41).
Additionally, Europeans and the Native Americans shared information about foodstuffs and other crops like the Indian corns, potatoes and tobacco. Food items from Europe became the best staple crops in the American region. Besides, some European crops were extensively used by the American agriculturalists as the main feed for their domestic animals. This extensive development in agri-business also contributed by the end of the Stone Age era, in several parts of America, created novel systems of farming in the regions. The introduction of such new food items changed the diet of the Native Americans since farmers were now able to produce a wide variety of food crops most importantly beans, tomatoes, avocados and vanilla. Moreover, Columbus brought European domestic animals into two regions that are Hispaniola and Cuba and later transferred to the New Mexico. The introduction of an advanced wave of cattle in Mexico, significantly developed the region though the animal grazing contributed to severe damage to American fields and natural forests. Further, Spanish horses were spread in Northern America where in the seventeenth century they reformed the living standards of many nomadic hunting natives in the Great Plains of North American (P.42).
New farming systems significantly revolutionized the systems of kinship among the Native Americans. In other words, Europeans’ first contact with the United States natives led to a social transformation. Families were grouped into clans, and each clan was responsible for various functions ranging from leadership, social or ceremonial obligations. The clans also played a significant role in bringing people of different communities together to form a tribe. Every tribe was led by chiefs from highly respected clans. The primary function of these leaders was to supervise the economic conditions of the local regions by for example gathering and storing the clans’ harvests. Before the coming of the Europeans, American communities based their labor division decisions strictly on the gender of an individual. For instance, hunting of wild animals such as buffalos was entirely men’s responsibility whereas collecting of food items and other home chores were women’s duties. The significant improvement of the farming systems changed this pattern. Women became responsible for the planting of crops, but men could still go to the bushes to hunt. However, some localities like Mexico where agricultural was the core business, both women and men worked in the farming fields (P.46)
Questions two
While it can be true that egalitarian nature of the frontier and availability of inexpensive and free land incentivized the expansion of democratic institutions, evidence proves that the length of colonialism significantly led to their development. Colonizing authorities from Europe transferred legal civilizations worldwide, which contrasted the familiarities of the common law nations and state law countries. In addition, the colonial authorities laid down property rights which had a long-term influence on the colonies. During this colonial era, the Europeans, by force, had a tendency to initiate institutions that would enable resource extraction. Over a considerable period, settler centers incentivized the development of the economy while extractive establishments did not. Contrasting with other parts of the world like India and the Caribbean, most of the Africa was authoritatively colonized for a long time (Friedman, & Saul 2). Some historians argue that the slave trade in Africa was an extractive colonial institution while others fail to interpret it that way. Besides, some historians firmly believe that land availability and the frontier characterized by social equality led to the expansion of the democratic institutions.
In the seventeenth century, Northerners in the United States had a common set of conventions instigating from their shared frontier heritage. European colonial authorities originated from Ancient World cultures where land was limited in supply and dominated by landed elites. They became settlers in American continent where land was plentiful and inexpensive. The prevalent and overall anticipation of land possession came out as the most significant cultural disparity between the two continents. Many historians in America associated the availability of cheap land to the establishment of democracy in the region. Among the European settlers, land was considered the most important form of wealth. Possessing large amounts of it was an indication of strong political power and influence. Regions which established democratic institutions were typically characterized by the high application of political power by the land elites and by an enormous population without sufficient influence or fortification. Nonetheless, the frontier inheritance incentivized the widespread approval of slavery, a strategy that was democratic in nature (P. 135).
The high need for labor among the Europeans and the North Americans was met by use of slaves mainly from Africa. The two sovereignties preferred forced labor from Africa to other parts of the world because of various reasons. The first forced labor providers were the American Indians but due to disease outbreaks, they started dying in large numbers. Besides, the Indians, unlike Africans, were well familiar with the land and its natives, which made their escape attempts more successful. Moreover, in 1531 the pope banned the slavery of the Indians in Americans. Despite the fact that slavery in Africa had lasted for an extended period, European colonial authorities warped it into something eviler than any practice of slavery in the history. The Europeans used to buy slaves from the western part of Africa, whenever they were in need of labor to work on their farms and other places like mining centers. The American colonies’ laws also impacted the significant demand for forced labor (P.111). During this era institutions such as law courts were established to monitor the actions of laborers. For a long time, workers could be sentenced to these courts of law once they acted contrary to the set rules and regulations. However, with time, the colonial authorities considered such long imprisonments in the law courts as a waste of time. Hence, laws were passed, releasing the slave and subjecting him to corporal punishment.
Works cited
Friedman, Saul S. Jews and the American Slave Trade. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction
Publishers, 2000. Print.
When worlds collide 1492-1590
Slavery and Empire 1441-1770
