Native Americans: European Influences

How did European colonization affect Native Americans?

Native Americans owned land, but the colonizers wanted it. Even though the Europeans were coming to someone else’s land, ultimately, it was the British government that made the rules for how sales were to be transacted in the areas that became the British colonies. This did not turn out so well for the native peoples.

The Salem Historical Society has a page of links to many resources about and by Native Americans. Learning about a people group from that group themselves has a value that a generalized lesson plan cannot give. 

If you are teaching or studying native peoples for November, make an effort to find sources directly from the people you are learning about. 

Is Native American culture the same today as it was in the 1600s?

Native Americans in the 1600 and 1700s had cultures as complex and diverse as any in Europe. That diversity continues today.

Being aware of this diversity in cultural practices, it is important to study the history and culture of each tribe with as much respect for their differences between tribes as one gives when studying the history and culture of, for example, Norway compared to Italy.

It is also important to remember that the way a culture was in the 1800s is not the same as it is today. A full education should include historical and contemporary studies.