Columbus believed that the natives had a gentle nature, whereas the Europeans believed that the natives were not brutish by nature, and could become "civilized" through consent. When Columbus returned to Spain, he brought 6 natives back; he was then sent on another voyage to capture more natives. In fact, 550 more natives were caught, and they were put onto "display", a business that became very profitable. Columbus's first impression of the natives led Europeans to believe that they could help the natives to become more "civilized" over time; they believed that it was their "god-given" responsibility to do so. For example, when the English heard of how profitable of a business natives were (as slaves), they tried to convert Indian children to Christianity, and to raise them with European values. Originally, the natives had become the epitome of "savagery", and were viewed as sadists by the Europeans; the Europeans (particularly the Spanish), upon developing an image of the natives, began to believe that those who were "uncivilized" were "born slaves".
11. Why were the English killing the Irish? How does it relate to native experience?
Due to religious suppression in England, English settlers began to colonize areas of Ireland; however, the native Irish were discriminated against by the English: they had unequal rights and were forbidden to share the same customs as the English. As a result, the English resorted to violence in order to obtain land from the Irish by killing many of them and then occupying their "vacant" lands. The English also viewed the Irish as "uncivilized" and "savages", and believed that it was their duty to God to make them civilized. Similarly, the English, upon arrival in the new world, believed the natives to be "savages" and "uncivilized" as well; the English believed that they could make the natives civilized by converting them to Christianity (particularly the younger indians). In order to obtain land from the natives, the English engaged in frequent clashes with them (often violent and deadly) in order to make way for new settlements, and grow tobacco, which had become a very profitable business.
18. Why did the relationship between the English and the natives change over time?
The relationship between the English and the natives changed over time due to tensions between the English and natives over resources. For example, when the English first arrived in the new world, the Powhatans gave resources to the English, although only 38 had survived out of the 120 original settlers. However, due to these clashes, the English resorted to Cannabalism as a source of food; the English had made their true intentions clear: to invade. In order to obtain land from the natives, the english resorted to violence, as there was a boom in the tobacco industry. By 1622, the natives tried to run the colonists out of their territories, but the English retaliated by spoiling the natives' resources and poisoning the indians.
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