Entry 1: The "Savage" Nature of Native American Cultures and Societies

While the British were settling and colonizing the Americas, they had an overall ideal, or view of the way they thought life should be.  It included people that looked like them, that desired order, such as an organized colony of farming, and those that are educated, and "work" for a living.  Their idea of work is commonly believed to be a type that could truly support a family ( in their opinion) such as farming, manufacturing, and selling and trading.   As the British began settling the lands of the Americas, they saw a type of life that was unlike the type that they desired.  

To the British, the Indians demonstrated a life of "savagery."  Referred to as "exhibits," these Indian individuals supposedly lived a barbarous life of killing and cannibalism.  This initial impression was false, showing that the invaders  had not considered a life other than the one they had wanted, and nor was any other type of life acceptable.   

"...not being content only to kill and take away life, but to torment men  in the most bloody manner, killing some alive with the shells of fishes, cutting off the members and..."

The above statement was part of the viewpoint obtained of the initial settlers amongst the Indian lands.  It also explains the lack of knowledge that the British truly had about the Indians, for these harsh thoughts were created, to support their initial intent of overtaking their lands.   Such embellishing thoughts were, in my opinion, only created to rationalize their upcoming deeds. 

The stereotyping continues, as the British overcome much of the land, and in time hope to have "peace" with this dementing group of people.  Their typical idea of peace, though, was not far from their original intent.  Even Jefferson works towards the colonization of the Indian people,  making it dire that they live the new way of the land.  But the end of todays reading shows a further intent, and that is to simply misplace the Indian people, and to rid them from the life of the newly settled. 

All in all, the Indians were looked at as an inferior type of creature.  They were different people, lived differently, and supported each other with different means.  This "savage" way of life, hunting, "starving," and reliance of nature was undesired and un-accepted, and the Indian desires to not conform was a reason to classify this type of people as something "else."

This initial viewpoint of black, differently cultured individuals from the past time is certainly different today, as the US is a widely diversified and cultural place.  But what we do see in popular culture is a still a difference from those of a different decent.   Most commonly, we as people classify people as black or white, as if a person is one or the other, or as if there are people of no other culture or background.  What could the reason we do this, be?   Is it simply because of a color contrast amongst people, or is there an underlying reason that was brought up through generations that was commonly held in the times of invasion and settlement?  Obviously, we as people hopefully do not stereotype others in this way, but has the initial concept risen through generations?   

While the past discrepancies were supposedly based on differences of living culture, todays are more-so based on color.  We often choose to see people as white or black, one or the another, and fail to advise that culture is not like that.  Most of us are loaded with differing cultures, originations, and pasts, and we fail to recognize these differences because minor outer differences,  color.  This happened just the same, in the past.  Rather than people being people, minor differences changed the way they were perceived.