Caleb’s Crossing Synthesis Essay

Rachael Liu

Beginning around 1600, British colonists came to New England and began to get in touch with Native Americans. There were conflicts and cooperation between them. The main conflicts between them was about religion and land ownership. And the cooperation between them was more about trade.

First, the cooperation between the Native Americans and the British colonists was that they trade with each other at the early period. Not all of the Europeans colonists went to the United States for territorial occupation, but more to find gold. These colonies imaged “to dig, mine, and search for all Manner of Mines of Gold Silver, and Copper” (American Destiny 27) from New England. The colonists sold a large amount of cigarettes and guns to Native Americans. And because Native American backwarded in production technology, the colonists also sold them many household items, such as hooks, iron axes, clothes, and kettles. Many colonists who went to the Americas to find gold did not find too many precious metals. Most of them sold fur to Native Americans.

The colonists and Native Americans conflict due to their difference understanding of the land ownership. British colonists believe that land means wealth, and if they believe that the more land they have, the more wealth and rights they get. “Did not possess one foot of land in this Colony but what was fairly obtained by honest purchase of the Indian proprietors”(American Destiny 31). The colonists began to occupy and buy land, and they did not think they were wrong. The Native American believe that no one can own the land, but everyone has the right to use the land, liken people can farm on the land free. After the colonists first arrived in the Americas, the Native Americans helped the colonists teach them how to grow crops and how to survive. Native Americans believe that land is sufficient, and they can live together with these colonists. But the colonists wanted to keep the land as own. Later, more and more colonists came to the Americas, they occupied more and more land. They cut down a lot of trees and built fences. They demanded that Native Americans stay outside their land.

Religion was also one of the reasons for conflicts between the colonists and the Native Americans. The colonists of New England believed that Christianity was the best and all people should believe in it. The colonists tried to change these Native Americans and let them also believe in Christianity. In this way, Native Americans “begin to distill in their minds the who were traveling apace the broadway to hell, and to be able to turn them, and set their face to God” (Caleb’s Crossing 25). Colonists thought it was saving the Native Americans, and was what they had to do. Until later the colonists believed that the Native American were not Christians, they were an evil nation, and the colonists began to fear the Indians. Indigenous American Indians have a strong belief in nature, and they believe that everything in the universe is interdependent. All indigenous tribes have rituals who sacrifice nature and they think nature is great.

Conflicts between religion and land ownership have strained the relationship between the colonizers and Native Americans and have led to many wars. The cooperation in trade has made the colonists who came to the Americas earn money, and the Native Americans have also exchanged for the daily necessities and products they need.

Works Cited

Brooks, Geraldine. Caleb’s Crossing. New York: Viking, 2011.

Carnes, Mark C, and John A. Garraty. American Destiny, Vol. l. London: Pearson/Longman, 2008.