Competing for the New World: In Class Essay

Over the last week we have looked at Native American culture from a number of different angles. We have developed theories of what the central components of Native American culture by reading modern literature. We have compared the components of Native American culture to the culture of the Europeans during the 1700’s. We have analyzed the reactions of the first Europeans to the natives that they encountered. In English, most of you have read modern and historical literature that reveals a great deal about the history and culture of the Native American people.

Up to this point, we have also taken a look at the development of early American history. We have taken a look at Jamestown and Plymouth and the reasons for their settlement. We have established the rational for the foundation of the original 13 colonies and developed understandings of why these colonies were established in the first place. We have read about how different classes of people came to the New World through the system of indentured servants. We have read about the economic system that England used to control the colonies and the system of smuggling that the colonies used to benefit themselves. We have also looked at how the first Africans were brought to the New World and how Europeans viewed them.

So by this point we have taken a look at the two dominant cultures that exist in the New World. Before we move on to discuss next phase of American history, we should take a minute to reflect on these issues. In class we will be writing an in-class essay to compare the two cultures.

In your essay, you must agree or disagree with the following statement:

The tense relationship between the Native Americans and the Europeans was unavoidable due to the fact that the values of the two cultures were so radically different.

In order to answer this question effectively, you need to think about and address the following ideas:

· What were the values of the Native American people?

· What were the values of the Europeans?

· What does the relationship between the two groups seem to have been? (Think about Jamestown, Plymouth, and Columbus.

· After coming to a decision on all of these things, do you think that the relationship between the two groups could have been different?

In order to create a well written essay, you will need to complete the following steps:

· Create a well thought out and detailed essay

· Create a detailed outline that addressed the major points of your essay and includes quotes from the many readings handed out in class.

· Write a rough draft that can be edited.

This essay will serve as your assessment for the early colonial and Native American Unit. We will be working on it in class over the next week and it will be your only homework over the time that it has been assigned. The assignment is due on October 2^nd.