Colonial America

Summary

Many colonies had similar ambitions... some were distinct in their need for a safe place to worship, a place to own their own land, or a place to find resources such as gold. European countries jockeyed and eyed each other for possession of the land in the New World, and several profited from them. The course of history today has been set by those colonial powers, and it isn't all wonderful. Yes, the United States is a grand country today, built by people who wanted to prove their worth, is home today to the most diverse citizenship in the world, and is the leader of freedom across the globe. This is all what many Americans believe to be true, and it won't be hard to find people to agree with them. But, this status needs to be balanced against the history: a history of greed and pomp in which European powers believed their method of civilization, their ways, their religions were superior to others, and that the land is deserved to them. These colonists worked hard for what they got, yes, but their benefit hurt the native American tribes who lived here before. Most of these tribes had been welcoming to trade and friendship - after all, the metal tools were quite impressive and superior to their wood tools. But most of the time, this friendly hand was met with cruelty and deceit. The worst punishment to the tribes was diseases like smallpox, which killed up to 90% of the Native population. Had that not happened, it is very likely, given accounts of the earliest European explorers, that Natives would have comprised the majority of slaves instead of importing Africans for the task. In that way, both of these marginalized groups have been subject to slavery at the hands of those who thought they were better. Today, over 97% of tribal land has been bought, stolen, or traded. Over 90% of Native peoples have been killed due to war and disease in the colonization years. It is our task to learn this, understand the sorrow, and appreciate what we have, including the resiliency of the Native peoples who are striving to reclaim their cultures. Understanding our past will help us look to the future and to better understand all groups in the United States.

Breakdown of the loss of tribal land and growth of colonial lands.

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