Melissa Sauceda
AMH 2010-0002
Option two

Exploration was the key to find an alternative route to Far East, gold, and land in the sixteenth century. The New World would be vital to the commencement of a new Era in European countries. As each country prepared itself to conquer the unknown land no one expected to encounter a whole new race of people known as Native Americans. Native Americans had different aspects of how to manage their tribes and land. Each European Nation dealt with Indians in different manners some more hostile than others. However, each nation had the same intentions, which was to colonize in the New World.
Immediate desire for land and gold was the only motivation Spain and Portugal needed to disrupt Indian land. After rumors of rich mines in the Rio Grande reached Mexico the expeditions began (Out of Many: History of the American People 49). Indians were open to the arrival of newcomers they received the Spaniards with kindness, which soon would be taken advantage of. Native Americans had no caste system instead everyone contributed to improve the tribe. The chief, who settled the problems within the community, was to be respected at all times. These different beliefs made the Native Americans vulnerable to the corruption of the Spaniards. Although Indians were seen as a burden, the Spaniards used them as a labor force, forcing them to mine for gold. Not only were the Spanish forcing them to mine, but they also pushed upon them their religious beliefs. The Natives were known for praising many gods. Therefore, in an attempt to dismiss those beliefs the Catholic Church convinced the Spanish monarchy in allowing New Mexico to be a missionary colony (Out of Many: History of the American People 49). These missionaries were used to brainwash Indians and inquire Spanish laws, trade, language, and Catholicism (Lecture, IV How European nations differed in their approach to colonization). “God has created all these numberless people to be quite the simplest, without malice or duplicity, most obedient, most faithful to their natural Lords, and to the Christians, whom they serve,” stated Bartolome de Las Casas a Spanish missionary (Bartolome de Las Casas, MHL). By mentioning the Indians obedient manner it helped justify they’re conversion to European Nations. After the colony didn’t prosper as expected Spaniard arrival ceased and there was a frontier of inclusion.
The Spanish and Portuguese repeatedly dismantled French settlement until the French strategized a new plan of northern fur trading in North America (Lecture, IV How European nations differed in their approach to colonization). Jacques Cartier describes his first encounter with Indians,” they gave us all whatsoever they had, and that was but of small value. We perceived that this people might very easily be converted to our Religion. They goe from place to place. They live onely with fishing” (Jacques Cartier, MHL). Unlike missionaries in New Mexico, who insisted Natives to adapt the cultural and religious beliefs, the French missionaries were not pushed upon Natives. Instead the Jesuits attempted to steadily bring around natives into converting. To Samuel de Champlain it was convenient to be at peace with the Huron Indians, who controlled the Great Lakes and would eventually help them demolish any sworn enemies (Out of Many: History of the American People 50). The alliance was well maintained between agents and traders, who lived among the natives. These agents learned how to hunt and trap like Indians some remained in Indian villages to raise their mixed-ancestry families.
A numerous amount of alliances formed between fur traders and Indians. Another known alliance was the Iroquois Indians and Dutch. The relationship among the two was tranquil because the Dutch were outnumbered and relied on Native Americans more than they relied on them (Lecture, IV How European nations differed in their approach to colonization). Conflicts arose when the Dutch