Cultural Differences Between Native Americans And The Europeans

When the English settlers arrived in America they had many assumptions about the Native American people. Some of these assumptions by the English people included the idea that the Native American people were brutal savages. The differences in culture between the Native Americans and the Europeans often caused clashes that led to the destruction of land and the people. Unfortunately, the differences within the two cultures forced the Native Americans to either adapt to the European culture, or migrate west to reservations.
In Native American culture followed a type of religion known as Animism. Animism is a religion based on the spiritual idea that the universe, and all natural objects within the universe, have souls or spirits. In festivals and ceremonies the Native American people would dance and worship in attempt to gain the favor of these gods. Although the Native Americans hunted and farmed the land, they would rarely strip the grounds of its resources. They used forest burning to regrow areas, and established reserves for animals. As a form of government, the Native American people put theirtrust in each person throughout the community, making it unnecessary to have a central ruler.

The Europeans came to the New World as messengers for God, to convert the Native Americans to Christianity. Sadly, those who would not accept what the Europeans were teaching would be imprisoned or even killed. The Europeans would be considered killers of the land as they practiced environmental depletion, opposite to that of the Natives. The Europeans cut down trees in large numbers, dammed streams for water reserves, and killed nearly every animal that crossed their path. When the Europeans arrived in the new world, they followed a governmental monarchy. The Europeans were devoted to the king back in England and followed his