Why were Native Americans considered "savages" to Europeans regardless of cultural acheievments?

Question

Why were Native Americans considered "savages" to Europeans regardless of cultural acheievments?

Answer 1

They didn't have the SAME kinds of trappings (such as 20 layers of clothes).

BTW, not ALL Europeans felt this way. In a book I read recently, the author talks about a priest who advocated for the equal humanity and rights of Native Amricans, and suggested communities where they and Europeans lived, worked togther, and learned from each other.

Unfortunately, most didn't listen.

Part of it is that one can more easily justify taking the land and resources and enslaving "not entirely humans" than if they considered them fully human.

Answer 2

No empires were ever built by the Natives (unlike natives of other countries), and they ran around with animal parts on them......bones/skulls, feathers, furs, etc.

They had no modern weaponry what so ever, and lived primitively in teepees, and other short lasting homes. A few tribes managed to carve some pretty nice structures into mountain-sides in the southwest.

Those are some of the reasons why the Europeans considered the Natives "savages."

If they only would have known that they were a more peaceful people than themselves, I'm sure history would have been different.

Answer 3

Just as today,  A lot of it was due to Racism because their dress was different to them just as with all other Cultures and peoples who Wore Feathers, did not have hangups about their bodies and expressive sexuality dances ...Also considered Savages or Crazy because they Worship more fervently.  Admittedly some tribes were in fact head hunters and cannibals.  The last reported act of Cannibalism was reported in Germany!

Racism has alway beenaout Money and acquiring wat someone else has rather than learning about them.  Speak the Truth sometime and watch how fast they will call you Nuts.

Answer 4

There was a major theological debate following the "discovery" of the Americas. As Indians weren't listed in the bible, questions were raised if they were indeed people? Did they have souls?

What connotation does "savages" convey? It's pretty dehumanizing. Cortez went to great lengths to portray the Aztecs as blood thirsty savages and very little about their history or accomplishments. During WWII the Germans. Italians and Japanese all had derogatory nicknames. This made them less human and less sympathetic.

As the Americas were inhabited "only by savages" it provided justification for the Europeans to "bring civilization" (ie conquer, destroy, steal from and kill) to the "savages."

Answer 5

because it was the 15-16 century, when no one really cared about values and achievement. the idea was to get hold of as many territories and riches one could. it was all in the money and the power that was brought by possessing extensive territories.

europeans didn't really take the time to get to know NAs, beacuse they wanted to get their territories. and generally speaking europeans had the tendency to believe they are the top of civilization.

Answer 6

Cultural prejudice based upon the the following observed items:

(1)  No cities to speak of.  The indigenous people of the New World tended to live in villages, some of which moved with the seasons.

(2)  Inferior material technology.  Stone and animal parts used for most tools instead of metal.  Glass making was not known.  Ceramics were crude in comparison to other regions of the world.

(3)  Tribe mentality with no overall large social organization.  These tribes often fought one another for reasons which the Europeans could not understand.

(4)  A diversity of religious thoughts and concepts, some which were beyond the ability of most of the Europeans to understand.

(5)  Medical practices which were considered superstitious with no scientific reasoning.  It did not matter that the general health of the indigenous people was generally better than the invaders (at least until the newly contacted diseases were introduced).

(6)  Their culture and languages were not part of the typical classical education of the Europeans.

(7)  Most of their cultures were dependent upon hunting and gathering as well as agriculture and not on domesticated animals and agriculture alone.

(8)  Most individuals had no concept of European modesty.

(9)  They had inferior weapons.

Most humans see what they want to see.  The Europeans were not in a position to learn the marvels of the cultures that they found in the New World.  Most were not willing to learn a new language or study what they found.  They brought their own culture and then applied it at this new location.

Answer 7

they thought the religious practices of some tribes were savagely and since they didnt have modern technology like gunpowder, sails, or compasses