The Negative Influences the European Explorers Showed the Native Americans

The Negative Influences the European Explorers Showed the Native Americans “Our hearts were low.” Stated by Saukamappee in 1787. These European explorers took the Indians culture, land, and spirt. The explorers treated the men, women, and children of the land brutally. While the Indians were trying help the European explorers, they were negatively influencing them when it came to the spread of diseases, the traditions being changed, and treaties along with land distribution. To begin, the diseases brought by the European explorers influenced the Native Americans tragically. The strangers brought thousands of diseases including, scarlet fever, influenza, and mumps. These diseases killed around 18 million Native Americans within 200 years. The Indians immune systems couldn’t handle these diseases, because they were not previously exposed to those infections. The Europeans realized this during war and used it to their advantage by infecting blankets with small pox then delivering them to the Indian troops. As stated by John Wonthrop “The natives are neere all dead of the smalle Poxe, so as the Lord hathe cleared our title to what we posses.” In 1837- 1870 there were 4 epidemics brought to plain tribes. The epidemic of smallpox in 1721 killed 844 Indians out of 6,000 infected. Diseases including mumps, small pox, and measles wiped out entire tribes, in one infection. European explorers took many lives of the Indians with the diseases they brought. Meanwhile, other European explorers were changing the Indians traditions in a variety of ways. First, every European country attempted to convert the Indians to Christianity. In 1700 Father Nicolas, a French missionary, for a second time attempted to convert them and this time it resulted in him being brutally murdered for trying to change their ways. Roger Williams said “hideous worships of creatures and devils.” Another tradition they changed was that everybody spoke English and the Indian language was abolished. Also, Europeans built cities to resemble Europe’s cities. They also didn’t allow Indians to live in their handmade “fort” homes. In order to change the Indian ways, many French men would marry a high ranking Indian woman. Also, the Spanish wanted to change the religion so terribly, they destroyed all Indian temples and built Catholic churches to replace them. While the Europeans were making the Indians just like them they destroyed a wonderful culture. Equally important, was the land distribution to the Native Americans and the treaties between the Native Americans and the Europeans. As more Europeans settled, the Indians continued to be pushed west. As a result, every treaty they ever made was broken. For example, the treaty of Lancaster in 1744 took place in June-July between the 6 nations and the Europeans. Another treaty that was soon broken was the treaty of Log-town in 1752, which consisted of opening the land west of the Alleghany Mountains to white settlement. This was arranged by the Iroquois, Shawnee, commissioners from Virginia, and representatives from the Ohio Company. After the French and Indian war, France, Spain, and Britain had a peace conference about land division without the Indians. It was decided that France was to keep its West Indian sugar islands, giving Louisiana to Spain, and Britain was to receive Canada and Florida. The Indians, were not included in this decision, so, they were to live on whatever land was left. In short, the Europeans took advantage of the Indians when it came to making treaties and distributing land. In conclusion, The European explorers negatively influenced the Native Americans by bringing diseases, changing traditions, and land distribution and treaties.