One way to discover the intent and intellectual ability of early Native Americans is through looking at their literature. In this piece, poetry from the Navajos is discussed, as well as creation myths of the Zuñi tribe. This shows that some of the records that Native Americans were not intellectual, civilized beings are obviously faulty. By contrasting this work with the recollections of early explorers, it is possible to illustrate the incorrect conclusions drawn by these explorers.

    Native Americans were described positively for the most part by Columbus in this personal narrative. They were immediately described as friendly people that could easily be "converted to our holy faith by gentle means than by force." Columbus goes on to describe their appearance, he says, "they seemed on the whole to me, to be very poor people. They all go completely naked." With a slight change of tone, Columbus mentions that the natives seem as if they would make good servants, and could easily be converted to Christianity, "as they appear to have no religion." Columbus seems to think of these Native Americans as intelligent, but easily influenced and less civilized than himself and his people.

    This primary source is helpful, since it can be compared and contrasted with the narratives of Ribault and Columbus. All of these explorers dealt with Native Americans in the raw form, before other religions and cultures were imposed on them. Cabeza de Vaca describes the "Indians" as helpful, explaining how the natives brought them (his explorers and himself) food, and were very cooperative. Cabeza de Vaca wasn't quick to talk about conforming the natives; he seemed genuinely interested in them as human beings rather than just potential servants.

    In this article, Sweet discusses the fact that early American authors could not help but write about Native Americans. He speaks mainly of the Indian Removal Era, and of how, whether authors meant to or not, they contributed to the discussion of removal in the United States. Sweet specifically mentions one tale about a "Mrs. Mary Jemison" which is the story of a captured white woman that is married among them and refused to return to white society. He points out that this is not the typical Indian and White tale that readers were accustomed to hearing, since it concluded by accomplishing the removal of the natives, but not without evidence.

    Jean Ribault isn't as well known as many explorers of early America. He was a French sailor who led a group from the Protestant Reformed Church called the Huguenots. Ribault explored the Southeast portion of what would become the United States. His records of the Native Americans are very positive, referring to them as, "mild and grateful as their climate." His men has a very friendly experience with the natives. Ribault even explained a situation in which a group of natives went into the water and saved one of his drowning soldiers. Overall, Ribault illustrates the natives as being rather civilized, witty, of good stature, and handsome.

    This piece discussed hatred toward Indians revealed in a piece of literature my Mary Rowlandson. Rowlandson was held captive by Native Americans, and she proceeded to write a narrative discussing her experience. The author of this work, Lougheed, believes that Rowlandson used the argument utilized by many early American writers, that violence by the English/ Americans can be justified by bringing up Indian hostility. Lougheed also points out that many Americans at the time were horrified by Native American's pride, rather than their actions. This piece is helpful in showing a woman's point of view, both through Pamela Lougheed and Mary Rowlandson.