Points of Entry:
Deerfield Raid in New England:
Captivity Narrative:
Iroquoia and the fur trade:
List and analyze 2 quotes from the readings. What are the authors arguing in these passages? How is this related to the larger themes of the week discussed in class?
"Canada's western history has been characterized by relatively little violent conflict between Indian and white." pg.143
ReplyDeleteThis quote I thought was quite interesting in the way that as opposed to the American West and Spanish Southwest there was quite little bloodshed. The reason for this was the friendly encounters and sharing of necessary goods between Indian and trader. Other reasons have to do with this was the emergence of Indian women as peacemakers and as wives of the trader which cemented ties between natives and their European counterparts.
"Indians became like other displaced groups by the colonizing impulse of the English, a diasporic population defined by the complex transformations and dislocations brought by English colonialism.
Natives especially on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. were completely and utterly changed by the massive influx of English settlers and their various attempts to change Indian life and culture, for the most part they succeeded but at the same time Indians were in no way defeated by this. Instead Indian culture to a certain extent started to come out in English culture and especially in the budding American colony culture.
Although we did not explore this topic in class I found it interesting to see that the white men coming over for the fur trade had such an interest in the Indian women, that is until white women came over. Indian women had an important role in the fur trade and its customs.
ReplyDelete-”It was they, not the white men, who were to be held responsible for the perpetuation of immorality because of their supposedly promiscuous Indian heritage. The double standard tinged with racism had arrived with a vengeance.” pg 148. As soon as white women arrived the dynamics changed. It was no longer acceptable for the interracial marriages between the white man and the Indian woman.
Gender division of labor is a big theme in the book. Indians and the English had different views of labor. The governor of Plymouth colony “the women live a most slavish life; they carry all their burdens, set and dress their corn, gather it in, and seek out for much of their food, beat and make ready the corn to eat and have al household care lying upon them.”pg 149.
An english man’s interpretation of how Indian women took care of everything, including her “lazie husband”. In the English society, these things would most likely be the mans work.
“…there is no Indian who does not consider himself more happy and more powerful than the French” (Hurtado 140). This quote shows that despite what Europeans thought about themselves and how they tried to present their superiority to Indians, Natives in North America still did not take them seriously. This could be seen in the video Blackrobe in class, where the natives would laugh at the French priest for the way he dressed and for getting lost in the woods.
ReplyDelete“While many fur traders married Indian women according to native customs, the demand for Indian women was so great that some whites resorted to purchasing slave women for wives” (Hurtado 135). This quote shows how French fur traders were willing to do anything to gain an edge with Indian tribes for beaver fur. By marring an Indian woman, French would be seen more favorably among tribes. It seems the French would go to great lengths for an Indian bride, even if it meant buying a wife to receive favoritism in a tribe.
It is refreshing seeing an Indian's perspective concerning European ingenuity. LeClerq asks why "do men of five to six feet in height need houses which are sixty to eighty?... [Indians] carry their houses and their wigwams with them so that they may lodge wheresoever they please, independently of any seignior whatsoever?" (Hurtado 139). This shows how Indians and Europeans thought on different wave lengths. LeClerq sees immobile houses as a burden while Europeans see it as stability. Shows that clash between semi-sedentary and sedentary peoples. Also demonstrates why European could not conquer the Indians of the Northern Borderlands until the 1870s because of differences in ideology.
ReplyDeleteIt is really funny to think that Western Culture as a whole still does not understand or know how to respond to women while Indians certainly had ways to dealing with it. Hurtado claims that "when menstruation happens, the woman goes out of the hut, makes a fire by herself, and cooks her food alone. No person takes any of her fire on any account, not even to light a pipe with, for fear of bringing some misfortune upon himself" (141). Shows that Indians were more in tune with both genders and accommodated the thinking and patterns of both. Western Civilization has been so focused on males that females tend to get left out and as a result males begin to view females as outsiders. Really funny bit.
While English colonist invaded […] French man gave gifts, they carefully cultivated relationships with Indian leaders, and they learned how to do business in Indian country. (pg 213)
ReplyDeleteI find this passage very interesting because I cannot decide whether the French took this approach because the Spaniards had played the ‘colonist’ role or because naturally they would be more interested in their culture and integrating themselves among the Natives. Which then makes the reader contemplate what role they would play?
The Hurons turned to their algokian trading partners in the north, exchanging corn and beans for pelts, which they then carried to the French. As the northern hunting peoples spent more time trapping for the fur trade and less time hunting and fishing for subsistence (pg. 220)
It becomes obvious that the world was rapidly changing, natives began to adopt new methods of survival (which was inevitable) however as you continue reading, you find out that despite Hurons change in methods they would show no interest in Christianity despite the French best efforts.
(In terms of those who has shown interest in change, or shown promise. Not to be contradictive of the passage above)
"The second factor in promoting harmonious relations was the remarkably wide extent of intermarriage between incoming traders and Indian women."(p143)
ReplyDeleteThis whole marriage between traders and Indian women in my opinion is just another form of exploitation by Europeans. The Europeans were trying to get their piece of the lucrative fur trade by any means. The Indian women were smart and saw economic security within theses marriages so it was basically a win win.
"the upmost good faith shall always be observed toward indians; their lands and property shall never be taken from them with out their consent."(p 200)
ReplyDeleteI think this is so much B.S. this Northwest Ordinance written in 1787 is supposed to protect Indian lands but it dose not. So many land cessions, and Indian removals occur during the 1800s and to this day. This land is no ones to take.
no such sentiment as jealousy ever enters their beast...that when a man dies he cannot carry women with him to the regions of dead; and that they quarrel, fight, and kill each other about the possession of a woman, are fools or mad-men. pg.141
ReplyDeleteEven among civilizations in the Americans, women were nothing more than a possession, nothing more. they are used and often not considered a major part of the society. They are called easy and would do anything for a simple or small price. The degradation of women continues the same model as it did 1794. they were very sexually active and nothing was wrong with that, it was considered normal.
the only good Indian was certainly not a dead Indian, for it was the Indian who provided both the fur pelts and the market for European goods.pg 143
the Europeans were so depend on the Indian for the good that they could not kill or centralize these Indians in ways that had occurred in Americans. The fur trade gave Indians the opportunity to trade with Europeans because they could not get the fur pelts themselves. The fur trade route were so difficult that Europeans did not know how to maneuver through the routes. The Indians were in a way in control of their own situation and interactions with the Europeans.
" From the perspective of the English, "divorce" from the land would fulfill the biblical directive to "subdue the earth and multiply" by bringing the land into cultural production to sustain a growing English population."(Hurtado 150)By implementing this quote into the text the author is arguing to the readers that by seperating the Native Americans from their land and placing them in missionary would ultimatetley assimilate the Natives to English colonial society because they would be contributing to the society by producing food which will eventually feed the English population.Also the English were under the impression that by displacing the Native Americans from their land was divine manifestation because they were people of with reason and deserved to be directed to the right path for slavation.
ReplyDelete"English-style clothing signified the distance women moved from their former way of life" (Hurtado 153). I really like this quote because the author is discussing who in certain aspects the English culture was starting to deteriate the Native American culture. Also this is showing how fashion could break one from his or her traditional culture and assimilate them to another. Since fashion displays the physical indentiy of a person, the new fashion adopted by Native American women eliminates the true identity of a person by stripping off their identity and having them put on a new one by changing from animal skin clothes to gowns and skirts.Most importantly I percieve ths form of assimilation objectifying as if a little girl is changing the clothes of her barbie doll
"I was Born a Heathen and Brought up In Heathenism, til I was between 16 & 17 years of age, at a Place Calld Mohegan, in New London, Connecticut, in New England." Page 137
ReplyDeleteThis quote from Samson Occom's life narrative reveals that European ideas about Native peoples could be internalized as some Natives became more assimilated to English views and society. Instead of referring to his home by the Mohegan names, Samson Occom refers to his home by the English names. This shows that the education that the English offered was intended to convert Indians to English viewpoints and beliefs.
"It is significant that, just as in the trade ceremony, the rituals of marriage a la facon du pays conformed more to Indian custom than to European."
This quote is notable because it shows how the beaver trade created an environment where Europeans were dependent on Indians for trade, and therefore needed to conform to some aspects of Indian culture in order to facilitate this trade. This contrasts from the other quote which shows how English settlers worked to assimilate Indians. In the northern borderlands, the Europeans had to assimilate to Native culture instead.
"Indian women also made a vital contribution in the preservation of food....The women skinned the animals and cut the meat up into thin strips to be dried..."(145)
ReplyDelete"Indian wives keeping the fur traders alive by their ability to snare small game..."(145)
These two quotes show the importance of women in their native community as well as their contribution to the fur trade which benefited the Europeans. Women played an important role in both societies.
"English and the French were the principal colonial actors.(134)
ReplyDeleteI found this quote interesting. What it says to me is that the French and British were able to convince the Indians. They were able to convert them to Christianity and then get them to trust them. I though that was interesting.
"But why now,... do men of five to six feet in height need houses which and sixty to eighty?"
I feel like this quote is notable because it is talking about the excess in which the colonizers built their houses. It also is notable because i believe it is talking about the Native Peoples spartan life style of living wiht only what you need.