N I N E S - View Exhibit

The Spanish explorers came to the America’s in search of vast riches, namely gold, but what they found instead has been a constant companion throughout American history. Native Americans, or Indians as Christopher Columbus liked to call them, were introduced to the Spaniards, and subsequently the rest of Europe, under the pretense that their culture was iniquitous, their men languid, and their women licentious. However, the Spaniards could only observe the, “savage,” since verbal communication was inhibited. The Native American persona was forced to culturally evolve to keep pace with their eastern inhabitants which oftentimes provoked indians and shifted their initial feelings of fear into actions of violence and mistrust. Interestingly, the Indian progresses throughout early American literature, yet is portrayed with flagrant misunderstanding and bias.

The journal of Columbus` first voyage : "Columbus"

Christopher Columbus’ Journal of the First Voyage holds some of the most important information regarding European-American relations in its infantile state. According to the journal, “They found the inhabitants all fled (Columbus, Christopher Christopher Columbus’ Journal of the First Voyage holds some of the most important information regarding European-American relations in its infantile state. According to the journal, “They found the inhabitants all fled (Columbus, Christopher Journal of the First Voyage to AmericaJournal of the First Voyage to America, p. 141).” Not only did the Indians fear that which they did not know, but also made every conscious effort to escape the grasp of the Europeans and be left to go about their lives. , p. 141).” Not only did the Indians fear that which they did not know, but also made every conscious effort to escape the grasp of the Europeans and be left to go about their lives. In 14In 14thth Century America, the natives were seen as ignorant individuals because they were not sophisticated in the ways of the east, but had an affinity with nature that was rivaled by none. The fault, however, Century America, the natives were seen as ignorant individuals because they were not sophisticated in the ways of the east, but had an affinity with nature that was rivaled by none. The fault, however, is not the Indian’s, but the Europeans. Columbus and his men were quick to judge the Natives on what they saw and expected them to fit into a European mold of civilization. After the Indians failed Columbus’ litmus test of legitimacy, he swept 15 unrelated Indians off of their feet, and proceeded to ship them back to Spain to be studied and trained in modern society. Furthermore, in accordance to Columbus’ model, all Indians must practice the same customs and speak the same language because each of them were new to him. The Native American people had their own forms of government, and their own understanding of territory, albeit much less stringent than that of their Anglo counterparts, but because they did not replicate eastern monarchy, they had no grasp of civilization. Newly discovered people meant a chance at exploitation and land ravaging for Columbus, all in order to satisfy the Spanish crown’s lust for conversions and money.is not the Indian’s, but the Europeans. Columbus and his men were quick to judge the Natives on what they saw and expected them to fit into a European mold of civilization. After the Indians failed Columbus’ litmus test of legitimacy, he swept 15 unrelated Indians off of their feet, and proceeded to ship them back to Spain to be studied and trained in modern society. Furthermore, in accordance to Columbus’ model, all Indians must practice the same customs and speak the same language because each of them were new to him. The Native American people had their own forms of government, and their own understanding of territory, albeit much less stringent than that of their Anglo counterparts, but because they did not replicate eastern monarchy, they had no grasp of civilization. Newly discovered people meant a chance at exploitation and land ravaging for Columbus, all in order to satisfy the Spanish crown’s lust for conversions and money.

America c. 1575 - Jan van der Straet

Source: Heath Anthology of American Literature

Jan van der Straet painted his perception of America almost a century after Columbus made his first voyage in 1492. If anything, the social stigmas attached to the native people had incubated over the 83 year period. We see Columbus meeting a lazy young Indian woman laying in her hammock who seems to be slightly frightened by her new company. In the background there are two indians roasting a human leg over a fire which is a direct representation of the elitism of the europeans. While the native americans were not nearly as technologically advanced, may not have shared the same interests in their land as the Spanish, or socially interact as the europeans, it is not right for van der Straet to depict them as cannibals with a severe disdain for human life.

Cabeza de Vaca

Spaniard Turned Native

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca has experienced one of the most unique and telling events when considering the progressed perception of the native american; He was lost in southern North America for 9 years. In that time, Cabeza de Vaca encountered the native people on more than one occasion and was regarded as an indian himself by the Spanish when he made contact after almost a decade.

Early on Cabeza de Vaca writes of his encounter with the Indians where he releases the women, but keeps a cacique in his custody, which results in an attack on Cabeza de Vaca's hut. A cacique is a native chief. One could not expect safe passage through indian territory when you have taken the village's cheif hostage. The europeans enter the America's with disregard to the importance of indian political figures. Must the indian chiefs wear gold, jewels and sit on a hill inside a stone fortress to be considered royalty? The cause of these problems is the severe lack of communication between the indians and the Spanish. However, Cabeza de Vaca was able to communicate with the inhabitants of the America's after some time, began to understand the motives of the indians, and comprehend their peculiar practices.

Relation of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca

The Native people were always viewed as those whom something could be gained. In Roger Williams case, the indians could provide the land in which he could being Providence, and in turn, the indians were used and their land taken away from them. The Europeans saw the native people as nomadic, with no definite bond to their land, but in reality, the indians respected the land they inhabited and were more than willing to coexist respectfully with the Europeans. However, the europeans always had to push the envelope and get as much as they possibly could. The Narragansett Indians sold their to Roger Williams and in the picture we see the chief signing a document, but the indians had no concept of legal ownership which resulted in the miscommunication of land use and the european-indian relations became more strained.

Unlikely Proponent, Likely Circumstances

Roger Williams and the Narragasett Indians

During the days of Mary Rowlandson, the indian people were portrayed as a bewildered society who were eager to inflict as much pain and suffering upon their oppressors as they could. Rowlandson recalls the distant whooping, a custom that foretold the number of enemies killed by the indians.Furthermore, Rowlandson tells of her refusal to work on the Sabbath, therein-which the indians threaten to break her face if she does not comply. These indians are a brooding and bloodthirsty race who have been encroached upon and have no other means of defense but to destroy their oppressors. They have no respect for human life and are vicious in their interaction with Mary, being beaten over the head numerous times for insubordination.

Narrative of the captivity and removes of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, who was taken by the Indians at the destruction of Lancaster, in 1676

During the days of Mary Rowlandson, the indian people were portrayed as a bewildered society who were eager to inflict as much pain and suffering upon their oppressors as they could. Rowlandson recalls the distant whooping, a custom that foretold the number of enemies killed by the indians.Furthermore, Rowlandson tells of her refusal to work on the Sabbath, therein-which the indians threaten to break her face if she does not comply. These indians are a brooding and bloodthirsty race who have been encroached upon and have no other means of defense but to destroy their oppressors. They have no respect for human life and are vicious in their interaction with Mary, being beaten over the head numerous times for insubordination.

The Nation's Ward

Hamilton, 1885

Grant E. Hamilton created one of the most telling political cartoons in 1885. In the cartoon we see two young pioneer children being constricted by the snake (indian), while Uncle Sam is doling out Government Gruel, a town is being attacked by indians, and the "INDIAN SCHOOL," sits upon a hill.
The implications of this painting are very indicative of the path that the Native American endured until the 1880's. The Americans continued to push back the indian tribes, leaving them with nothing but their teepees and the clothes on their back, slowly inciting a raging desire for revenge within the native culture, and disabling the indians from assimilating and providing for themselves. This resulted in the mass captures of pioneer children, the burning of american villages and the constant need for the government to support the indians.

We have followed the indian culture from start to mid-american history. They have been abused constantly and listened to seldomly, yet the Colonists/American's expected them to comply with their laws, respect their property and live passively. Through the evidence we have been provided through american literature, the indians were never at fault. The Native American's were driven to insanity and were disabled; they could not provide for themselves without a stable environment in which to live, and the colonists ensured that such an environment would never be possible. A double standard has been applied to the native people of the America's. They are expected to be uneducated savages when they are taken from, but when the time permits, be respectful to the American authorities. In my opinion and analysis, we deserved every bit of trouble we received from Native Americans because, sadly, they were only trying to stand their ground and avenge the wrongs done to them. If we expected the Natives to be as savage as we thought they were, how could we not expect to see them revolt?

Bibliography

"Journal of the First Voyage to American." Heath Anthology of American Literature. 6th ed. Vol. A. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourth Company, 2009. 138-49.

Van der Straet, Jan. America. 1575. Heath Anthology of American Literature. 6th ed. Vol. A. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourth Company, 2009. Nines.org

Cabeza de Vaca, Alvar N. "Relation of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca." Nines.org. University of Indiana.

Rowlandson, Mary. "A Narrative of the Captivity and Restauration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson." NINES. University of Virginia. <http://www.nines.org>.

Hamilton, Grant E. The Nation's Ward. 1885. Library of Congress. <http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?pp/PPALL:@field(DOCID+@lit(97511827))>.

Davenport - Development and Understanding of the Native American Through Early American Literature

rdavenport