A New World: Similar Experiences Of The Catawba And Lenape Indians

Submitted by freefortermpapers on 06/24/2008 03:00 PM



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A New World: Similar Experiences Of The Catawba And Lenape Indians

In the early seventeenth century, when the Europeans arrived in the New World, both the Catawba Indians and the Lenape Indians experienced similar affects such as the establishment of trade, devastation from the exposure to new diseases and migration to other parts of the New World. These similar experiences had long lasting affects on both tribes. It became a "New World" for both Native Americans and Europeans.
The Europeans had come to the New World to trade and the Indian tribes were willing to oblige. While both tribes traded with Europeans, the main difference was with whom they established trade. The Lenape Indians traded with the Dutch and Swedes; the Catawba Indians traded with the English. Both tribes traded with their respective Europeans for advanced technology such as muskets, gunpowder and other iron product. In return the Europeans received furs that were in demand in the "Old World." Once trade had been established there was no going back for both Indians tribes. They became "hooked" on the advanced technology. As a result they became dependant on trade with the Europeans. The Lenape tribe needed both guns and its ammunition to protect themselves from their enemies – both Native Americans and Europeans.
Both tribes began to change in other areas such as the way in which they used the land for hunting. Before the Native American land was "invaded" by the Europeans, the Indians only hunted animals as necessary for food and clothing. The land and streams were full of animals and were not abused. Once trade became a necessity for the Indians, they hunted the animals on the land and in the streams to almost extinction.
When the Europeans arrived in the New World, they brought with them diseases that both Indian tribes had never be exposed to. The introduction of these diseases such as smallpox, malaria, and influenza brought devastation to both tribes. Each tribe suffered great loss in its membership when exposed...

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