Today, Native American communities endure a number of injustices (Regan, 2014). The current situation is a continuation of the atrocities that these communities have suffered. When they arrived in America, the British colonists and other European powers made the territory their new home. They forced the Native Americans who occupied this territory out. This resulted in a conflict that led to the death of thousands. When one examines the circumstances that set the stage for the conflict between the English colonists and the Native Americans, it becomes evident that the conflict could not have been avoided.
The need to conquer and colonize the American territory is the main force that encouraged the British colonists to settle in this territory (“Native American Clashes”, n.d. This need served as a strong motivating factor. It appears that the British colonists were committed to achieving this goal and would respond viciously against any party that stood in their way. It also has to be remembered that the British have a history of using force to colonize other territories. For example, the British relied on their superior techniques and weapons to colonize territories in Africa and Britain and to quash any rebellions. It is clear that the use of force is part of British effort to establish itself in a new territory. Therefore, a conflict between the Native Americans and the English colonists would was inevitable.
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Another indication that the conflict was inevitable is that the British colonists posed a threat to the Native Americans. The colonists introduced new diseases that threatened the health of the Native American communities (Pringle, 2015). Additionally, the colonists came with new practices and traditions. These practices ran counter to the culture that the Native Americans had established. For example, such communities as the Cayuga, Seneca and the Mohawk established a partnership that was referred to as the Confederacy. This coalition allowed the communities to join their efforts and resist foreign rule (“Native American Clashes”, n.d). The Confederacy was constantly involved in armed conflicts against the British colonists and other European powers. It can be argued that the Confederacy represented the unique identities of the various communities and that the British colonists posed a direct threat to this alliance. The Native Americans simply feared that unless they took action, their culture would either be contaminated or eliminated altogether. They chose to fight and this means that the conflict was bound to occur.
For the most part, the Native Americans were hostile to the British colonists and other European forces. However, there are some isolated instances where the two parties collaborated. For example, the Native Americans supported, trusted and relied on the help of Conrad Weiser (“Conrad Weiser Papers”, n.d). Among other things, Weiser facilitated the sale of land that the Native Americans owned. He also served as an emissary that linked the Native Americans to the Europeans (“Conrad Weiser Papers”, n.d). Trading in weapons is another area of cooperation between the British colonists and the Native Americans.
For a full understanding of the conflict between the Native Americans and English colonists to be gained, it is necessary to examine the efforts of particular parties who played important roles. The Cayuga tribe is among these. As already noted, this tribe constituted the Confederacy. This tribe shared in the pain and anguish of other Native American communities that suffered relentless British attacks. The woes of the tribe did not end even after the US became independent. The American government embarked on a murderous campaign that drove the Cayuga out of their land (“Cayuga Nation”, n.d). The history of this tribe highlights why it is important to protect minority communities. The US should take all necessary measures that the right to own property is safeguarded.
References
Cayuga Nation. (n.d). Retrieved 21 st September 2017 from
http://cayuganation-nsn.gov/index.html
Conrad Weiser Papers. (n.d). Retrieved 21 st September 2017 from
http://www2.hsp.org/collections/manuscripts/w/Weiser0700.html
Native American Clashes with European Settlers. (n.d). Retrieved 21 st September 2017 from
http://www.wvculture.org/history/archives/indians/indland.html
Pringle, H. (2015). How Europeans brought Sickness to the New World. Retrieved 21 st
September 2017 from http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/06/how-europeans-brought-sickness-new-world
Regan, S. (2014). 5 Ways the Government keeps Native Americans in Poverty. Retrieved 21 st
September 2017 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2014/03/13/5-ways-the-government-keeps-native-americans-in-poverty/#e8ec28e2c274
