DBQ #2

11th November 2013

AP US History

DBQ 2:
The nature of the relationship between the Indians and the English along the Atlantic seaboard in the years 1600 to 1700 was peaceful but became hostile as the century wore on, as evidenced by the peaceful relations, social disputes, and political clashes which occurred between the two groups. With various approaches to peace in various portions of the Atlantic seaboard, many various groups saw very differentiating outcomes from their attempts. As hard as both sides tried, either of the sides were overwhelmed with the human nature of being greedy and desire for more, which led to actions that no one had expected.
During the first half of the 17th century, peace was a prevalent approach between the colonists and the Indians. It had become apparent that after some while of interaction, both the Indian tribe and the colonists had become dependent upon one another for the sustainment of life, not so much the Indians as the colonists. Various American settlements, such as Massachusetts, were regulating laws to sustain peace, in the year of 1647, as mentioned in Document D. The Court orders that all colonists must keep their cattle away from the lands of the Indians, and should keep them from destroying any property which may belong to the Indians. The Court of Massachusetts had also provided a freedom of worship to the Indians, as long as the worship had not taken place on any jurisdiction of the colony. To provide more input about the peaceful relations in the early 17th century between both groups of people, Document B, written in 1622, allows the reader to see another form of perspective from the Virginia Company of London. Document B states that those who had once dined and helped the colony’s people were turned against by the very people who were aided-the colonists had turned against the Indians after the peaceful relations that once occurred.
As time and relationship matter had continued, more disputed between both groups of people surfaced. Certain actions carried out by the government of the colonies had angered the Indians. An action which was imposed upon the Indians by the colonists was the conversion of the Indian’s religious beliefs. Document A makes it clear that in 1619, the Virginia House of Burgesses made it that each town was to convert a portion of the Indian’s children to Christianity in order for the children to be able to learn in the colonist’s colleges and then later on spread the beliefs of Christianity. Document F is able to show how equality was not present when it came to dealing with issues that both sides had brought up. The colonists had put off the hearing of Indian complaints, and would classify them as insignificant even if many Indians complained; whereas if one colonist complained it would be considered as something very critical. The colonist also had an increasingly growing number of horses and cattle; this had done much damage to the lands of the Indians.
On a political level, conflicts between the Indians and colonists were also present. There were both good terms and bad terms for both sides. Document G shows how there was a good side for the Indians when they were granted right from Governor Berkley as a result of continuous secret trades between both groups. This had occurred in 1677, when most clashes were going on in other regions of the Atlantic coast. Document H provides a treaty between the colonists and the Indians in order to battle against the French. Document H provides a fragment of the treaty proposal from the year of 1689 showing the colonists asking for the Indians’ help. Document D shows how restrictions on trade with the Indians were kept and made illegal in order to forbid any terms of violence, resulting in a fine if not obeyed. Document E shows how the Indians planned to fight for their rights, resulting in King Phillip’s War. A clear cause for the war was, even though the English colonists and Native Indian group of Pokunoket were on fine terms, that the colonist had begun to show domination over the tribe-which had not been agreed upon-and the English had also gone to the extent of selling the lands of the Indians. Indians had chosen to revolt against this and took up arms against them. Once the war had concluded, the supporters of King Phillip had evacuated to Canada before being captured; those who were unable to escape were sold into slavery in the West Indies; the others who remained in the area had been inflicted with servitude, the variation in culture-forced upon them-, diseases, and the exportation off of their own land.
Through evidence portrayed in the documents, the nature of the relationship between the Indians and the English along the Atlantic seaboard in the years 1600 to 1700 was peaceful but became hostile as the century wore on, as evidenced by the peaceful relations, social disputes, and political clashes which occurred between the two groups. Numerous encounters along the Atlantic coast showed how many attempts and perspectives were taken to reach agreements, but relations which rose to be peaceful at first notice altered to prove devastating in various areas of the Atlantic coast.