Why were Native Americans Dominated by Europeans?

How many Native American Tribes can you name?

How many Native American friends do you have?

Where are they now?What happened to them?

*Why were Native Americans Taken Over by Europeans?

One answer:

Geography (I’ll get back to this later)

A more specific answer is that Europeans had:

Meaner diseases Better technology Better political

organization A literate society

Have you ever had any of the following diseases?

a. smallpox

b. chicken pox

c. Influenza (a really bad case)

d. measles

e. Bubonic plague

Meaner Diseases

Smallpox: think chicken pox on steroids.

Influenza: Different types of the flu.

Measles: Like a powerful flu and cold combined.

Bubonic plague: high fever, swollen lymph nodes and it can spread to your lungs.

Most of us survive a case of the flu fairly easily nowadays, but all these diseases have the potential to kill a lot of people, very quickly.

Smallpox was especially devastating to Native Americans.

In many cases, 65% to 90% of those infected, died!

http://nmhm.washingtondc.museum/collections/archives/agalleries/smallpox/smallpox.html

Smallpox: Obviously not something you want.

http://gold.aecom.yu.edu/id/management/smallpox-index.html

Sometimes these diseases were given to the Native Americans on purpose.

Why did Europeans have meaner diseases?

Many nasty diseases have been transferred to humans by animals. Think of all the talk in the news about “Bird Flu.”

Europeans had closer contact with more animals, especially farm animals (chickens, pigs, cows, oxen, horses, donkeys, etc…).

Why?

Europe, Asia and Africa had been trading their animals for many centuries before the exploration of the Americas. The largest DOMESTICATED animal in the America’s was the llama, and it was only used in South America.

1. Many diseases come from animals

2. Europeans had closer contact with more animals.

3. Many large domesticated animals in Eurasia—only one in the Americas. 4. Also, Native Americans were spread

out, making widespread disease and exposure to them less likely.

Europeans Had Better Technology

VS.

Steel WeaponsWooden and Bronze Weapons

Steel Armor vs. Quilted Armor

•Outran enemy

•Gave a higher platform for fighting

•Intimidating size

European’s brought horses to the Americas

Political OrganizationIn just about any sport, the more organized team is going to win. This means better communication, better training and preparation, better use of resources, etc… Europeans had well established political organization.

Literate SocietyAs much as you may hate writing, it serves a great purpose. It ensures more ACCURATE communication.

Try communicating an idea orally through ten different people.

Now try it in writing.

Better results?

While their spelling was terrible, most European conquerors were literate (at least the leaders, anyway). This allowed for better military strategy.

Better writing and communication Better military

strategy

The Native Americans that lasted the longest were those that learned to use the European’s weapons and strategies.

So, to recap, Europeans dominated Native Americans with:

•meaner diseases•better technology•better political organization•literate society

Lastly, one question you may have is why did the Europeans have these things and not the Native Americans?

One possibility:

Geography

Diseases, technology and information seemed to have moved more easily along the same parallels of latitude (east to west). Crossing the world from north to south, requires going through many more climates, which could explain sub-Saharan Africa’s similar fate. The Americas were completely isolated making the gradual exposure to these forces even less likely.

QUIZ

1. Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons given why the Europeans dominated the Native Americans:

a. meaner diseasesb. hotter temperaturesc. literate societyd. better political organization

2. Which of the following was the most devastating of the European diseases?a.influenzab.smallpoxc.AIDSd.measles

3. One animal the Europeans brought to the Americas which was very effective in war was the:a.llamab.horsec.elephantd.camel

4. This advantage allowed Europeans to learn from each other and improve their military strategy against Native Americans:a. diseaseb. literacyc. husbandryd. guns

5. The whole reason why the Europeans had major advantages over the Native Americans may be due to:a.geographyb.technologyc.shipbuildingd.intelligence