Impacts europeans had on natives...?

Question

what impact did the europeans have on native american cultures and how did the natives impact the europeans..

??

do you think it was bad or good..?

i already know..disease..what else

Answer 1

The arrival of Europeans began changing N.A. cultures even before the Europeans began settling North America. In the southwest, the spread of wild horses from the original Conqistador livestock turned entire tribes into horse-riding cultures. These increased their mobility and ability to hunt big game, and would produce some of the best light-calvarymen and irregulars of all time. And while these tribes adapted to a horse-centered culture, the balance of power among tribes shifted, and various groups either expanded or were pushed off of their traditional territories.

   The next impact was the actual settlement of North America. I'll focus on the East, and on the expansion west. After the diseases mentioned, tribes found increasing numbers of European settlers laying claim to their territories. These Europeans rapidly picked up on using tribal feuds to pit tribe against tribe, weakening both sides and making expansion easier. The introduction of alcohol was particularly devastating. There is actually a genetic componant to tolerating the effects of alcohol, and avoiding addiction. Lacking these genes, many N.A. rapidly became alocholics, trading everything in order to obtain more liquer. Also, with an insatiable demand for furs and othe products,  whole ecosystems became endangered or wrecked by over-harvesting of these resources.

   As tribes were displaced, they were either forced onto reservations on territory unwanted by the Europeans, or they were shipped hundreds of miles into entirely new envirements. This absolutely devestated the native cultures. One does not take a hunter/gatherer culture and expect it to make the jump into a sedentary farming community. the more so when the farming techniques, and even crops, were alien to those cultures.

  And finally, as the final free tribes were subjigated, there was a conscious effort to destroy the culture of the defeated peoples. Dress, customs, even language were all suppressed, trying to overlay "white" culture on these peoples. This might even have worked, except the essentially racist nature of too many whites ensured that even those N.A. who tried to assimulate would have a hard time doing so. Thus too many people found themselves trapped, unable to completely join the dominant society, but too ignorant of their own heritage to maintain their own historical birthright.

   So, overall, bad for the N.A. good for the Europeans. All we can do is try and learn from the past, and avoid repeating those actions which cause us to feel shame today.

Answer 2

A) Yes, disease.  Smallpox, et al killed at least half of the Native population of North America.  

B) Warfare changed from low-fatality, honor displays (look up "counting coups") where tribes met, skirmished and most often broke off with a serious injury to kill-em-all blood baths.  Of course, this is in regard to Natives in North America - Central Americans had warfare perfected,as well.

C) Good or Bad..?  Modernization versus loss of culture and identity - who's to say..?