Colo-+AB

__ Colonization __ Colonialism is to occupy new territory. In the beginning of the 16th century American Natives collaborated in the north-western US with the first European colonist. The Native Americans got their name, Indians, when the Spanish man Christopher Columbus first set his foot on the coast five hundred years ago. Columbus was actually trying to find the sea route to the country India, but ended in America.

In 17th century, the British, French and the Dutch also came to America, North America and succeeded in establishing permanent colonies. The first British settlement in America; Virginia and Jamestown, were built with the help of a group of Native Americans who were called the Powhatan Indians. Without their help, the first European people in the New World wouldn’t stand the tough winter. This happened in the 17th century. Furthermore the Native Americans showed to the immigrants how to cultivate the land and enjoyed receiving in return fire guns and steel tools.

The massive immigration from Europe and the European methods of land cultivation soon generated tensions with the Native Americans. The White Men changed the environment, in a way that was unsuitable for the Native Americans way of life. They used to hunt deer and wild turkeys. They also used to fish and gather sea food. // The colonists started to mow the grass, for feeding cattle and horses, while pigs destroyed clam reserves .// The two parties often quarrelled with each other. The White Men meant they owned the land they had bought, while the Indians said no one had right to own land. There were many brutal and bloody wars from the 17th- 19th century. Many thousands of people died, mostly woman and children. In between these brutal wars the Natives had already lost a battle; they got epidemics’ which were brought by Europeans. One of the epidemics turned a village of Native Americans from 1600 to 130 over a couple of years. This happened also to others tribes, like the Hidatsa and the tribe Sioux. Some Indians were moved to reservations, because the European used them as work force. The colonization of the America by white people caused a huge devastation of native cultures.

When Columbus came in the 17th century, about 30 millions Native American in the US were reduced to 250 thousands 400 years later. The population decreased because of the wars; sickness and hunger which were caused by the White Men. They robbed their land and hunting grounds. As a result their lifestyle was not possible. Government of the US took the best land. The tribes were moved around and placed on reservation. Some of these reservations had no jobs and opportunities to the Native Americans and many of the tribal members were forced to find work in the cities. The poverty and the huge alcoholism rate become a problem.

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