Native Americans and Europeans views on land
During the 16th and 17th centuries, when the Europeans started to come over to the new world, they discovered a society of Indians that was strikingly different to their own. To understand how different, one must first compare and contrast some of the very important differences between them, such as how the Europeans considered the Indians to be extremely primitive and basic, while, considering themselves civilized. The Europeans considered that they were model societies, and they thought that the Indians society and culture should be changed to be very similar to their own.
The Europeans and the Indians had very contrasting ideas of personal wealth and ownership. The Europeans believed that only the rich should own land, and strongly followed the practice that when you passed away, the land stays in the family to keep the family honor and pride alive. In European society, what one owned decided one's identity, political standpoint, wealth, and even independence. The Indians believed that property was part of a tribe, not a personal possession to own. One of their beliefs was that the land was sacred, and each family should have a piece of the whole. As a general rule, the Indians followed their belief that states that everything on the earth is given to all, and each person deserves their own share. In 1657, a French Jesuit said that, "Their kindness, humanity and courtesy not only makes them liberal with what they have, but causes them to possess hardly anything except in common."
In European society during the time of colonization, the man was by far more important in society than his wife. For Europeans, to be a member of a family you had to be related to the eldest male in the household. This was a total opposite to the Indian society. For example, in the Iroquois society, family membership was determined by the family of the female. At the head of each family was an elder woman, followed by her daughter, their husbands and children, and finally her unmarried granddaughters and grandsons. When one of the men married, he moved to the family of his wife. This was a very sharp contrast to the Europeans, whom had for centuries, been the top of their social hierarchy.
In Europe, the women had a very relatively primitive, limited role in society. They were not allowed to attend or partake in political affairs, with very few exceptions. Now, on the other hand, in Indian society there was a council of chiefs, whom was all male, but they were appointed by an elder women. Also, during their deliberation over issues, the males made the final decision, but would be expelled from the council, if they didn’t conclude to the same decision that the elder woman came to. The women's main job in Indian society, was being in charge of cultivation of, harvest of, and distribution of food. When the men left to go hunting, women were left to run society. The Europeans simply believed that the males were far superior to the family, which is why women could not have jobs, and were left to only clean, cook, and various other household chores.
Coming from an economic standpoint, the Europeans and Indians were such total opposites, it often led to misunderstanding. Indians had very large trading routes well before the time of European colonization. Their experience in trade only made it easier to exchange goods with the Europeans. For Indians, trading was a way to acquire goods they wanted, but also a way to share the wealth of their land with other tribes that didn’t have the same items to trade as they did. To the Europeans, trade was used to forge alliances, but mostly for the economic benefit of one of both groups. The Europeans did not trade out of compassion and a desire to share what they had.
Religion was another wall of separation between the Indians and Europeans, especially considering the polytheism (belief in many gods) of the Indians, and the usual monotheism (belief in one god) practiced by the Europeans. The Europeans followed a strict system of worship, with trained clergy, and pattern of church services.
For the Indians, spiritual belief was centered on the belief of spiritual power that exists everywhere in nature. The Indians wanted to be in touch and one with nature, and all aspects of it, from the wild animals they hunted to the smallest stream. The Europeans thought of the Indian religious practices as evil and wrong, and as a result, they thought the Indians were not intelligent enough, inferior to, the Europeans, and constantly attempted to convert the Indians to Christianity. They knew about the Indians religious leaders, the shamans, and considered them to be dangerous, because of their role as holders of the power of healing and ability to communicate with the spiritual world. The Europeans thought that God wanted them to convert the Indians, and took this mission seriously.