1491-1607: A Comparative Analysis

The college board’s decision to shift to a consensus perspective more accurately reflects the era of 1491- 1607, because both Europe and North America were homes to complex and diverse societies with their own distinctive cultures. Therefore, each group adopted and improved aspects of each other’s culture, skills and interacted from the beginning. Even though they both had unique and individual ideas and beliefs about gods, they still shared some similarities. Misunderstandings and differences between the Europeans and Native Americans resulted in years of interaction. Each continent was diverse, different and unique on it’s own. For example, before the Europeans arrived in the Americas, around 60 million people already lived there. They

One of the similarities that they both shared, was religion. Although their religions and beliefs in gods were different, the reason for their similarity was that they both believed in some kind of higher power and ways of worship (Henretta, 22). Secondly, Native Americans and Europeans also both had established governmental systems. They both had their individual and unique ways of keeping things civilized. The reason for that was because both groups of people wanted a government to provide social order and economic systems. Thirdy, they both farmed and hunted, because back then, the only way to find a food source was to hunt or farm. Therefore, growing crops and hunting were both part their cultures and style of living. Fourthly, they traded - not only with each other, but with the rest of the world. They traded because they did not have the resources, or capacity to satisfy their own needs and wants. By developing and exploiting their domestic scarce resources, both Native Americans and Europeans could produce trade for the resources they needed. Trading included goods such as furs, crops, and tools. Unfortunately, Native Americans and Europeans were also quite different. For example, European nations had established military: armies and navies. Unsimilarly, Native American tribes were defended by the warriors, who were also the hunters for the tribe. The reason for that difference was because Europe was economically and politically ahead. Therefore, they needed to establish an organized political system. In Native America, there was inheritance, determining who the ruler would be. Differently in Europe, the rulers were chosen. Secondly, Native Americans did not have any written language. The reason was because, Europe was politically and economically ahead, so they needed written language. Differently, Native Americans did not need any written language for their daily life or survival. Even