Native Americans and Early American Colonists

innate American and Early American Colonists Grade school and flat beginning take aim college history classes have taught early American exploration from a largely one sided suasion of the strife between early explorers and Native Americans. The traditional image of the Native Americans as the sole dupes, is an oversimplification of the contest that existed between early explorers, watchtlers and Native Americans. Through the readings from Columbus, Bradford and almost selected Native American writings, the traditional view of the Native American victim will be challenged and a broader view of the conflict will be presented.Columbus set out to explore a untested land under the Spanish flag to bring wealthiness and fame to Spain and the throne. In his letter to Santangel, Columbus (1493) explained how he hoped to find great cities and kings but instead found a primitive people and settlements he described as small hamlets that he viewed quite devolved from the bustling civil izations of europium (pg. 26). One can clearly see, that Columbuss hopes of finding rich kingdoms and cultures were dashed instead his front was met with resistance from the Indians.This relationship with the natives was described by Baym et. all (2008) as disordered and bloody (pg. 25). These natives were mistreated even though one could argue that they threw the first punch but, as Baym et. all (2008) describes earlier in the chapter, the Natives were not merely victims. They strategically used alliances with explorers and settlers to further their own interests and disputes with warring tribes and peoples. William Bradford (1897) describes quite a different aim of his coming to the new world. He was part of a group of pilgrims seeking religious freedom.He likens their arrival to the new world, to the story in Acts were the apostles are met with such aggression from barbarians who were readier to fill their sides full of arrows (pg. 60). Later on in his card, he describes an pom-pom they received from the natives he described as enemies (pg. 64). Later on in his account, Bradford (1897) describes some awful events surrounding early accounts of settler and native interactions in which the Native Americans treated the english as worse than slaves and were sent around and made sport with (pg. 70).One last important viewpoint to give credence to is that of the Natives themselves. This account is unique and oftentimes not told. The first story mentioned is that of the freeing of John Smith as a ceremonial act that the natives hoped would earn them respect from the English. This instead had the opposite effect and eventually brought about an attack from the natives which killed over 500 colonists. In a speech from Pontiac (1763) he expresses concern over his people forgetting their inheritance and blaming the English for the polluting of his peoples culture and beliefs.He holds the English in complete responsibility and calls for their blood. The traditional view of the natives as the sole victim is an oversimplification of the problems revolving around immigration and cultural diversity. Just from these three person-to-person accounts from the time period we have three very different views of the issue. So, to say that one peoples are the victim is a gross oversimplification and misrepresentation of history. Columbus, C. (1493). Letter to Luis de Santagel Regarding the First Voyage. In Baym, N. (Ed. ). (2008). The Norton Anthology of American Literature (seventh ed. pp. 24-28). naked York, NY W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. Bradford, W. (1897). Of Plymouth Plantation. In Baym, N. (Ed. ). (2008). The Norton Anthology of American Literature (seventh ed. , pp. 57-74). unseasoned York, NY W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. Pontiac (1763). Speech at Detroit. In Baym, N. (Ed. ). (2008). The Norton Anthology of American Literature (seventh ed. , pp. 208-209). New York, NY W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. Baym, N. (Ed. ). (2008). The Norton Anthology of American Literature (seventh ed. , pp. 1-218). New York, NY W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.