HELP! why did attempts at establishing friendly relations between colonists and indians fail?

Question

(colonists and indians from new england and pennsylvania)

Answer 1

For the same reason there is always war -- the distribution of resources (land, water, food, minerals).  A vast difference between what constituted the "ownership" of land between the two cultures.  Perceived cultural superiority, as well as the commandant of Religion - Go and Convert!!!  

Answer 2

Cultural differences were just too great and the idealogy and value systems conflicted.  One group would do something they thought right and the other group would be offended. It's really hard to get along when competing for resources and control AND not being able to see eye to eye on basic concepts of politeness and rudeness.

Answer 3

Some were successful, some weren't.  The colonists prevailed, in my opinion, largely due to several aspects of European culture of the time.  They were highly motivated by desire for wealth, both in the form of commodities such as gold and fur, and in the form of property.  They saw North America as an empty continent, with vast resources and without owners.  They felt the Indians did not care for the land, since they didn't "improve" it in a European fashion, i.e. develop agriculture, cities, and put a monetary value on land.  This informed their view that the continent was free for the taking.

They also had vastly superior military technology.  Once they decided to remove the Indians by force, it was simply a matter of doing it.  

Successful  relations often occurred in isolation.  The Dutch colonists in New Amsterdam enjoyed friendly relations for many years.  Political changes in the Dutch colonial government soured relations, and resulted in hostilities.  

Compare this to King Phillip's War, in New England.  The peace between whites and Indians had been more or less stable, though tense, for many years.  Changes in politics in England and within the Wampanoag, in addition to disease, led to a horrific and bloody war.

Answer 4

because they couldn't understand each other.  The colonists thought the indians were savages, and the indians thought the colonists were pretentious.