Topic > Relationships of the American Indians with the English and the French

Relations between the American Indians and the English were much more hostile than those between the American Indians and the French. First, the French treated the American Indians with respect in all aspects of their culture. Secondly, the English showed no mercy or reason towards the American Indians who occupied the native land. Finally, instead of attempting to take advantage of the indigenous peoples of North America, the French established trading relationships. For almost the entire period of colonization, the French remained allies of the American Indians. The reason for the constant peace between the two peoples was the mutual respect shared between them. An account of this coexistence is that of Jean Nicolet reported by Paul Radin in the "Account of First Contact of the Ho¬Chunk (Winnebago)". Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In the document, Jean talks about the various trades that took place between them, such as "Fur for guns, knives and axes"( Nicoletto 1). The French always showed an excess of respect for the morals of the American Indians, giving life to a strong and well-founded alliance. Not all Euro-Indian relations were peaceful. In fact, the relationship between the English and the American Indians was mostly violent. Unlike the French, the English had little respect for the North American Indian way of life. In most recorded cases, the British showed little or no mercy regarding the seizure of land and resources. Dr. Gabrielle Tayac explains in Colonial Indian-White Relations: “Natives sometimes left their villages to hunt, fish, or gather resources. They often returned to their villages only to find the land occupied by settlers” (Tayac 1). From this, “A series of wars began in the Chesapeake Bay region that continued throughout the 17th century” (Tayac 1). Most Anglo-American relations were violent and disrespectful. The French were very successful in establishing trade relationships with the American Indians to get what they wanted. Unlike the English who tricked and plundered the American Indians off their lands, the French used respectful methods of trade and negotiation to obtain land and goods. Ellen Holmes, associate professor at UNCA, describes the French-Indian relationship: "Instead of enslaving Native Americans in agricultural and mining operations, the French exploited existing intertribal alliances and rivalries to establish trade relationships with the Hurons, the Montagnais and the Algonquians along the St. Lawrence River and further inland to the Great Lakes.”(Holmes 1). Instead of enslaving the Native Americans, the French took advantage of the trading relationships they had mutually established to further their own colonial development. The American Indians' relationships with the English and the French varied greatly. The French treated the Indians with more respect, the English showed no mercy in stealing land, and the French exploited trading relationships to gain counterclaims that could be made on the peaceful relationship between the French and the American Indians is that of the French victory at Fort William Henry in 1757. Keep in mind: this is just one example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Nearly 1,800 Indian warriors fought alongside the French without pay, hoping to receive compensation in the form of loot, captures, and scalps. According to the National Park Service educational kit The French and Indians “When the English surrendered Fort William.