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6.3.2 - Mutual Perceptions

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Concept of Civilization

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Teacher
Teacher

Today, we will discuss how Europeans in the 18th century defined what it meant to be 'civilized.' Can anyone tell me what characteristics they valued?

Student 1
Student 1

They thought being civilized meant being literate and having organized religion, right?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! They valued literacy and organized religion, along with urban living. Now, how did this affect their view of Native Americans?

Student 3
Student 3

They saw them as uncivilized because they didn’t fit those standards.

Teacher
Teacher

Correct! And this view often led to the devaluation of the rich cultures and traditions of Indigenous Peoples. In fact, philosophers like Rousseau romanticized Native Americans as 'noble savages.'

Student 4
Student 4

But they never really met them, right? That’s kind of unfair.

Teacher
Teacher

Great observation! That illustrates a significant gap in understanding and respect. Let’s summarize: Europeans defined civilization through criteria such as literacy and urbanism, ultimately misunderstanding and undervaluing Indigenous cultures.

Examples of Mutual Perception

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Teacher
Teacher

Now, let’s examine how various European writers depicted Native Americans. What did Wordsworth think?

Student 2
Student 2

He described them negatively, saying they lacked imagination because they lived close to nature?

Teacher
Teacher

That's right! However, Washington Irving saw Native Americans differently after meeting them. He noted they were distinct from the poetic ideas of savagery. Can anyone explain what he observed?

Student 1
Student 1

He said they were good at mimicking and had a strong sense of community?

Teacher
Teacher

Correct! He pointed out that their social structures were complex, contrasting with common European beliefs. This signifies how personal experience can reshape our perceptions.

Student 4
Student 4

So, different writers had very different opinions based on their experiences?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! Let's recap: Wordsworth’s romanticization conflicted with Irving’s realistic observations, highlighting how mutual perceptions varied widely.

Land Ownership Perspectives

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Teacher
Teacher

Next, let’s talk about land ownership. How did Native Americans view land compared to European settlers?

Student 3
Student 3

They didn’t think of land as something to own but as part of their community!

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! For many Native Americans, land was sacred and integral to their identity. How did Europeans perceive land?

Student 2
Student 2

They saw it as something to own and develop for profit. It was a commodity.

Teacher
Teacher

Right! This difference in perception created significant conflict. Native Americans viewed land as communal, whereas Europeans wanted to commodify it. Any insights on the consequences of this?

Student 4
Student 4

It led to conflicts and the displacement of Indigenous Peoples!

Teacher
Teacher

Well said! To summarize, contrasting views of land ownership between Native Americans and Europeans contributed to cultural misunderstandings and conflict.

Introduction & Overview

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Quick Overview

This section discusses the contrasting perceptions of Indigenous Peoples by European settlers, highlighting their differing views on civilization and land ownership.

Standard

The section explores how 18th-century Western Europeans defined 'civilization' and how their perceptions of Native Americans as 'uncivilized' differed from the actual cultural practices of these groups. It examines philosophical perspectives, interactions between Europeans and Indigenous Peoples, and the implications of their differing views on land ownership.

Detailed

Mutual Perceptions

In the 18th century, European concepts of 'civilization' were fundamentally tied to literacy, organized religion, and urban living. Indigenous Peoples of the Americas were seen as 'uncivilized' by many Europeans, an impression some philosophers, such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, would counter by idealizing them as 'noble savages.' Yet contrasting views existed among contemporary writers, including Washington Irving, who argued that Native Americans had their unique social structures and cultural practices, distinct from the simplistic portrayals popularized by literature.

The interactions between Europeans and Native Americans showcased significant differences in perceived value of goods; while Europeans treated items like fur and fish as commodities for profit, Native Americans viewed these exchanges as acts of friendship and community. Indigenous Peoples faced increasing pressure as European settlers encroached on their lands, basing their actions on a view that equated land with capitalist development and ownership.

This section reflects on how European settlers’ actions and beliefs led to the displacement of Indigenous Peoples and their subsequent struggles against these powerful narratives and cultural misunderstandings, demonstrating the complexity and depth of these historical interactions.

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Audio Book

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European Definitions of Civilization

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In the eighteenth century, western Europeans defined ‘civilised’ people in terms of literacy, an organised religion and urbanism. To them, the natives of America appeared ‘uncivilised’. To some, like the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, such people were to be admired, as they were untouched by the corruptions of ‘civilisation’. A popular term was ‘the noble savage’. Some lines in a poem by the English poet William Wordsworth indicate another perspective. Neither he nor Rousseau had met a native American, but Wordsworth described them as living ‘amid wilds/Where fancy hath small liberty to grace/The affections, to exalt them or refine’, meaning that people living close to nature had only limited powers of imagination and emotion!

Detailed Explanation

In the 1700s, Western Europeans created a specific idea of what it meant to be 'civilized'. They believed that being literate (able to read and write), having a structured religion, and living in cities were key indicators of civilization. They looked at Native Americans and viewed them as 'uncivilized' because their lifestyles did not fit these criteria. There were differing opinions, of course. Some, like Rousseau, admired Indigenous people for living closer to nature, which they saw as pure and uncorrupted by civilized society. Meanwhile, Wordsworth suggested that Native Americans lacked the imagination and emotional depth that he associated with civilized life. This highlights a tension in European perceptions: on one hand, there was an appreciation for the simplicity of Indigenous life, but on the other, there was a patronizing view that dismissed their cultures as lesser.

Examples & Analogies

Think of it this way: imagine someone from a busy city goes to visit a rural community. They might initially think that people living there are 'backward' because they don't have smartphones or fast internet. However, upon interacting more with them, they could realize that these people have a way of life that values community, deep traditions, and a connection with nature that the city dwellers might have lost. This reflects how perceptions can change through understanding and interaction.

Differing Perspectives on Native Americans

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It is interesting to note that another writer, Washington Irving, much younger than Wordsworth and who had actually met native people, described them quite differently. ‘The Indians I have had an opportunity of seeing in real life are quite different from those described in poetry… Taciturn they are, it is true, when in company with white men, whose goodwill they distrust and whose language they do not understand; but the white man is equally taciturn under like circumstances. When the Indians are among themselves, they are great mimics, and entertain themselves excessively at the expense of the whites… who have supposed them impressed with profound respect for their grandeur and dignity… The white men (as I have witnessed) are prone to treat the poor Indians as little better than animals.’

Detailed Explanation

Washington Irving, who actually met Native Americans, offered a different view than poets like Wordsworth. He said that Native Americans often seemed reserved when with white people because they were cautious and didn't trust them, as they were unsure of what the white people might do. Irving pointed out that when Native Americans were with each other, they were lively, good-natured, and skilled at imitating others, including white settlers. He highlighted an important truth: that both groups shared similar behaviors but were misinterpreted by each other due to cultural misunderstandings. This difference in perspective is crucial for understanding how narratives about Native Americans have been shaped by those who did not live among them.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine if a visitor from another country tried to write a story about a school in your town without ever visiting it or talking to the students. They might use stereotypes and assumptions instead of real experiences, leading to a misleading portrayal. In the same way, Irving’s account showed the importance of firsthand experience over preconceived notions.

Trade Relations and Cultural Exchange

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To the natives, the goods they exchanged with the Europeans were gifts, given in friendship. For the Europeans, dreaming of becoming rich, the fish and furs were commodities, which they would sell for a profit in Europe. The prices of the goods they sold varied from year to year, depending on the supply. The natives could not understand this – they had no sense of the ‘market’ in faraway Europe.

Detailed Explanation

In the early interactions between Native Americans and Europeans, Native peoples viewed trade as a form of friendship and community bonding. They exchanged resources like fish and furs as gifts, which held cultural significance. However, Europeans saw these same items as commodities to be sold for profit back home. This fundamental difference highlighted the contrast in worldviews: Native Americans had no concept of fluctuating market prices or trade as a commercial transaction—it was about relationships and trust, not economics. This misunderstanding led to tensions as Native people realized that Europeans valued material gain more than the cultural exchanges they offered.

Examples & Analogies

Think about sharing food at a family gathering versus a restaurant. At home, sharing a dish means you are expressing care and love, but in a restaurant, the same food will be sold for a profit. If family members started to charge each other for meals, it would change the spirit of sharing. This reflects how trade meant different things to Native Americans and Europeans.

Land Perception and Conflict

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Natives and Europeans saw different things when they looked at forests – natives identified tracks invisible to the Europeans. Europeans imagined the forests cut down and replaced by cornfields. Jefferson’s ‘dream’ was a country populated by Europeans with small farms.

Detailed Explanation

When Native Americans looked at the forests, they saw a complex ecosystem filled with paths and life that held cultural significance. Europeans, on the other hand, viewed the forests as a resource to be cleared for agriculture and settlement, seeing only the potential for crop production, such as cornfields. Thomas Jefferson envisioned a nation of small farmers, which highlighted the European desire for expansion and cultivation. This fundamental difference in understanding land even led to conflicts, as settlers pushed further into territories that Native Americans had lived in for generations, disrupting their harmony with nature.

Examples & Analogies

To illustrate, think about how a person views a beautiful hillside. A conservationist might see a landscape rich in biodiversity and history, while a developer might only see the opportunity to build houses. These contrasting views can lead to disagreements about how that land should be treated, similar to the conflicting perspectives between Native Americans and settlers.

Migration and Settlement Expansion

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Following the first Europeans, who were traders, were those who came to ‘settle’ in America. From the seventeenth century, there were groups of Europeans who were being persecuted because they were of a different sect of Christianity… As long as there was vacant land, this was not a problem, but gradually the Europeans moved further inland, near native villages.

Detailed Explanation

After the initial traders, Europeans began migrating to America to settle. Many of these settlers were fleeing religious persecution and sought new lives in America. Initially, they were able to claim vacant lands that didn’t seem to conflict with existing native territories. However, as European settlers expanded, their settlements encroached on Native American lands, leading to conflicts. The persistent push for more land often ignored the rights and lives of Indigenous peoples, making it evident that the motives of settlers often came at the expense of native peoples.

Examples & Analogies

This situation can be compared to a game of musical chairs, where as the music plays, people gradually walk closer to the chairs. As the music continues and speeds up, everyone races for a spot, often ignoring others’ needs. In this way, European settlers rushed towards new lands without fully considering the rights and presence of Native Americans.

Definitions & Key Concepts

Learn essential terms and foundational ideas that form the basis of the topic.

Key Concepts

  • Civilization: Defined by Europeans through literacy and organized religion.

  • Noble Savage: An idealization of Native Americans as pure and uncorrupted.

  • Commodification: Differences in how Native Americans and Europeans viewed trade and items exchanged.

Examples & Real-Life Applications

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Examples

  • Rousseau’s concept of the Noble Savage which idealized Native Americans.

  • Irving's personal observations challenged prevalent stereotypes of Indigenous Peoples.

Memory Aids

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🎵 Rhymes Time

  • In the 18th century, civilization meant, / Literacy, religion – that was the end! / To them, Native life was a struggle and strife, / For they thought ownership was key to a civilized life.

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Once, in an age of ink and quill, Europeans sailed to lands vast and still. They met a people with hearts full of grace, who cherished the land as a sacred space. But the Europeans lacked the wisdom to see, that the true riches lay in community.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • LOR: Literacy, Organized Religion - key aspects defining civilization in 18th-century Europe.

🎯 Super Acronyms

N.A.T.I.V.E.

  • Noble savages
  • Another way to view Indigenous Peoples
  • Through different perspectives
  • Interactions shaped by experience
  • Value of land as communal and sacred
  • Every exchange seen as a gift.

Flash Cards

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Glossary of Terms

Review the Definitions for terms.

  • Term: Civilization

    Definition:

    A complex society characterized by urban development, social stratification, and a system of governance.

  • Term: Noble Savage

    Definition:

    An idealized concept of Indigenous Peoples as uncorrupted and superior due to their closeness to nature.

  • Term: Commodification

    Definition:

    The process of turning goods or services into commodities to be traded for profit.

  • Term: Perception

    Definition:

    The way in which something is understood or interpreted.

  • Term: Enclosure

    Definition:

    The process of taking land that was previously common or communal and turning it into privately owned land.