Nagy 1

Laszlo Nagy

APUSH

Mr. Jones

21 September 2017

The Destruction of the Native American Identity

The lives of the Native Americans were forever changed after the first European contact.

The English settled along the Atlantic seaboard and in turn chased the Indians away from their

own lands. Two completely different societies living side by side created endless tensions and

physical conflict. As cultures, customs, and races clashed, the Native American population and

identity were rapidly extinguished via brutal treatment and heavy oppression.

Many colonists tried their best to treat the Indians fairly by giving them some false form

of protection and by assimilating them into their western ways of life. One of the ways that the

colonies attempted to merge the Natives with their world is by adopting, ...a certain number of

the natives children to be educated by them in true religion and a civil course of life..., and by

also converting the adults so that Christianity may spread through the tribes more naturally,

(Doc. 1). While the colonists converted them to Christianity, Massachusetts decreed, ...that no

Indian shall at any time powaw[sic], or performe[sic] outward worship to their false gods: or to

the devil in any part of our Jurisdiction..., (Doc. 4). Not only were the Indians forcibly

converted at random to a religion they dont believe in, they werent even allowed to practice

their own ancient religions and beliefs. Natives Americans were also given basic protection on

land that where they have been given the right to farm and live by the colonial government(s).
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Since, the vandalization of Indian land was common in the colonies, in this case in

Massachusetts, the Book of the General Lawes and Libertyes Concerning the Inhabitants of the

Massachusetts stated, ...if any of their corn be destroyed for want of fencing, or herding; the

town shall make satisfaction...Provided that, (Doc. 4). The laws of Massachusetts said that

Indians may claim compensation for damages caused by colonists herding to their lands,

Provided that the Indians shall make proof that the cattle of such a town, farm, or person did the

damage, (Doc. 4). For the Indians, proving something of the sort was very difficult as physical

evidence, like a broken fence or footprints left by cattle, could not point to a specific culprit if the

government did not want it to. The only other evidence that could be given is the words of the

Indian(s) that witnessed the vandalization take place. The problem for the Indians in this

situation is that the colonists did not trust the words of the Indians. King Philip even claimed this

in the grievances of the Indians, saying, ...if 20 of their honest Indians testified that a[sic]

Englishman had dun[sic] them Rong[sic], it was as nothing; and if but one of their worst Indians

testified against any Indian or their King, when it pleased the English it was sufficient..., (Doc.

6). To trick France and Spain into thinking that the English were friendly and accepting of the

Native people, the colonists offered protection and compensation for damages to the Indians

while also making it almost impossible for the Natives to claim the compensation for any

damages they suffered while also being proselytized by the English to Christianity.

Besides limiting the freedoms of Native Americans and converting them, the English also

used violent tactics to fight the Indian population. When the Indians fought back against the

English, they were labeled as the aggressors by colonial government records and were fined for

any damages caused to the colonies during wars and other conflicts. The Indians were even
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slaughtered in cold blood when they were unarmed and peacefully interacting with the English

colonists. Edward Waterhouse wrote in his report that the Indians, ...sat down at breakfast with

our people at their tables, whom immediately with their own tools and weapons, either laid

down, or standing in their houses, they basely and barbarously murdered, not sparing either age

or sex, man, woman, or child, (Doc. 2). The colonists refused to show mercy to the Native

Americans and still expected them to follow the laws which they had decreed on the lands that

once belonged to said Native Americans. To further show the ease with which the English were

aggravated by the Indians, a 1677 Report of the Royal Commission to the Crown reported that

the Governor was informed about groups of Indians within fifty or sixty miles of the English

plantations and stated about the colonists, they begin to beat up drums for volunteers to go out

against the Indians..., (Doc. 7). The English were the ones to start conflicts most of the time, yet

the Native Americans were still charged for being the aggressors like in King Philips war.

Plymouth Colonial Officials wrote, ...it may be remembered that...[he] was... the offending

party; and that Plymouth had just cause to take up arms against him and it was then agreed that

he should pay that colony a certain sum of money, which would cover all damages caused

during the war, (Doc. 5). Many Native American attacks on English colonies were in retaliation

to having their land, identity, and right to a peaceful life stolen.

The relationship between the Native Americans and the English was always filled with

hate and violence. As the outnumbered people, Indians were given a false sense of protection and

acceptance amongst the colonists. In reality though, the English would seize every opportunity

they got to strike at them. Native Americans were cursed to a life of unjustness, either by the

power of the law or by the power of the firearm.