Indian-White relations before 1776
Colonization of north america altered the histories of natives but the scope of the change varied drastically from one place to another.The earliest contacts between natives and Europeans was between Beothuk Indians and Norsemen at settlements created by the Norse in Thule Eskimos.At first peaceful trade ensued but violence eventually occurred over disputes and most likely Norse attitudes of superiority.Norse eventually withdrew from America in 15th century (Indian-White relations in North America).Honestly this was something new to men i learned from this article.Originally i ignorantly believed Columbus was the first to make contact with Native Americans but i was wrong.
This departure coincided with Europeans expanding to the Eastern subarctic coast, and the California coast.Native Americans found themselves drawn to European goods but left them exposed and at the mercy of old world diseases.England colonial expansion led to Anglo-French competitions by the 1740's Areas such as the Ohio Valley was a hot spot by speculators for settlements.Areas where many native populations lived.Many native tribes in this area were allied with the French but truly desired to remain independent.By the time the American Revolution happened Native tribes such as several of the Iroquois(including Mohawks and the Seneca's) forged relationships with the British.Relationships they had with the British would eventually grow sour however when new policies issued by the British were placed on the colonies to curb the monarch's debt.These laws centered around taxation mostly and it effected everyone.That and settlers encroachments on Indian land continued for many years throughout the years leading up to the revolution. .
http://search.credoreference.com.library.esc.edu/content/entry/hmenai/indian_white_relations_in_north_america_before_1776/0
For centuries prior to first contact, the Beothuk were thickly populated in the Trinity Bay Region of Newfoundland. As described by (Holly and Sant Cassia 127), Beothuk are perceived as a cultural anachronism in Native American history of northeastern North America. By this they express a sense of belonging to another space in time, or as they refer to as a holdover from an earlier age preserved in a primitive state based on the cold isolated environment that they inhabit. This anachronism idea was shared by most archaeologists. European fishermen arrived around the 16th century. According to (Holly, Wolff, and Erwin 1), who appropriately described the period of pre-contact as “before the fire, and post contact as “after the fire,” the Beothul maintained their presence in this region for at least a century after first contact. It was after that stretch or time, as you point out in your blog that their existence began to diminish due to European settlement and expansion, which later resulted in their abandoning the region altogether.
ReplyDeleteBoth Beothuk and their earlier ancestors an Amerindian people, as described by (Holly, Wolff, and Erwin) maintained a mobile way of life centered on the coastal shores and inlets. This allowed them to tale full advantage of coastal resources such as harbor seals, fish, and seabirds. These resources also played a significant role in a sustainable economy post contact. (Holly, Wolff, and Erwin 2) also point out the significance of these coastal areas as sacred ground, as practically all know burial sites are located there, and historical accounts indicate that they targeted these areas specifically for burial. This practice supports the theory that Beothuk thought coastal burial was essential in reaching the after-world. So these coastal environments were significant as both a burial site, as well as a derivative of sustenance, as well as worldviews and Beothuk lifeway’s.
The first encounter between colonists and Boethuk was described by (Holly, Wolff and Erwin 19) as a remarkable moment in the history of European relations with Native Americans, and in this particular situation, it was remarkable as it was well documented in record. Earlier encounters with Europeans at Trinity Bay proved to be a formative factor in the first interactions with later colonists, and there was a certain level of untrustworthiness among these colonists based of encounters from previous centuries, and much of this may have been derived by the unpredictable nature of direct European engagement.
I also found it interesting that ethnological traits and material culture were so prevalent in helping understand through what (Holly and Sant Cassia 130) describe as “observable units of habit, custom, behavior and material culture. This really helped facilitate a more informed understanding of who the Beothuk were, and provided more insight into the course of their historical evolution. It was also interesting as described by (Holly and Sant Cassia 130), how many archaeologist discoveries including material culture was identified as resembling artifacts unearthed at ancient sites throughout Maine and the Maritime, suggesting Beothuk were surviving remnants of an earlier culture with much wider distribution throughout the Northeast.
References:
Holly Jr., Donald H., Christopher B. Wolff, and John C. Erwin. "Before And After The Fire: Archaeological Investigations At A Little Passage/Beothuk Encampment In Trinity Bay, Newfoundland." Canadian Journal Of Archaeology 39.1 (2015): 1-30. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27 Feb. 2016.
Holly Jr, Donald H., and Paul Sant Cassia. "A Historiography Of An Ahistoricity: On The Beothuk Indians." History & Anthropology 14.2 (2003): 127-140. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27 Feb. 2016.