Comparative American Indian Societies

Between 1820 and 1871, the southeastern countries of the United States highlighted native American societies. Before different political, economic, and cultural influences were directed at them, indigenous cultures’ lives and ways of life were peaceful. The role of hegemony is responsible for a significant percentage of the problems brought on by the changes in peoples’ lifestyles. Due to cultural colonialism’s introduction of Christianity, capitalists, and market values as well as of language and education, the impacts entailed cultural components. Besides, hegemony played a significant role in the changes of the native people political system due to colonialism by introducing new mechanisms as far as administration and rivalry about minerals are concerned (Independence Hall Association in Philadelphia). Similarly, the period between the year 1820 and 1871 was underlined by changes in policies as far as the indigenous people were concerned. Although differences were evident in the indigenous people’s lifestyle of the Southeastern part, some of the changes played a significant role in improving their lifestyle whereas others hampered their original way of living (Biegon 67).

Geopolitics among the American Indian Societies

The US hegemony refers to the domination of one of the United States powers to the exclusion of other international forces. The US hegemony played a significant role in the removal of the indigenous American Indian societies from their original localities. The American Indian people lived in their locations where they practiced embraced administrative activities whole also practicing their cultures without interference before the emergence of hegemony in the US. Besides, the hegemonic activities in the United States ensured the introduction of changes in the in the indigenous American Indian societies as underlined by the civilization trends experienced. As a result, there were changes in the in the way of living of the communities (Independence Hall Association in Philadelphia). For instance, the US hegemony ensured the extension of both the legal and the bureaucratic control of the territories that formerly belonged to the indigenous populations. Moreover, hegemony paved the way for the introduction and consolidation of the reservation policies that characterize the making of treaties between the natives and the US federal governments.

The reservation played a significant role in ensuring part of the land, as well as some obligations, was reserved to the native communities. Nevertheless, the booking provided the US federal governments had parcels of land in the American Indian society localities. Consequently, the reservation was essential at the ultimate end of the treaty-making ordeal in the year 1871. For instance, the Lone Wolf v. Hitchcock case underlined the role of hegemony as it ensured the plea of the Kiowa chief to prevent the forceful acquisition of land by the US Congress became futile (Biegon 79). The federal State supreme court ruled out that the congress had the powers to abolish any treaty signed hence making the Kiowa chief’s plea null and void. Similarly, hegemony ensured the southeastern governments were demolished and the résistance movements dismantled in a bid to secure the United States federal governments had little or no challenge in its quest to control a large proportion of the indigenous people’s land. In addition to altering the indigenous people’s boundaries, hegemony played a vital role in ensuring the people were centralized in a given locality as underlined by the fact that majority of the American Indian people settled in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico states.

Cultural exchange

Cultural exchange refers to the sharing of the adverse aspects of culture between two different ethnic or cultural groups. Concerning the American Indian natives, cultural exchange underlined the internalization as well as the use of the western models and values. The interference of the US federal state into the affairs of the Native Americans played a significant role in the cultural changes experienced among the indigenous American population. For instance, the US national system brought about Christianity among the native population that comprised of the Indians (Hummon). Despite the natives practicing subsistence farming, the federal-state introduced plantation farming to the farmers while the market values paved the way for the existence of the market economy. Moreover, the federal system of government played a significant role in ensuring the American Indian population adopted the use and application of the constitution by introducing models of the composition of the people.

The American Indian population comprised of the people of India origin. However, the introduction of Christianity played a pivotal in ensuring the emergence of a multicultural setup in the indigenous people’s localities. For instance, the arrival of the Europeans did not put into consideration the fact that the American Indian population had nor practice a way of religion or culture in their day to day activities. In fact, a large proportion of the Europeans believed the fact that the American Indian people did not practice any form of religion (Hummon). Whereas a fraction of the people gave the European missionaries a warm reception, the brutality of the Spanish and a part of the Indian communities ensured some of them sided with the natives.

The prospect of a fraction of the European’s option to side with the American Indian people paved the way for adoption of the natives’ culture. Consequently, the other portion that welcomed the missionaries acquired the European mannerisms in a bid to get saved a fact that led to a multicultural outlook among the people. As a result, the adoption of the diverse cultural elements by both the American Indian people and the Europeans played a critical role in synchronizing the differing cultures (Independence Hall Association in Philadelphia).

American Indian culture before the coming of the Europeans consisted of differentiation as far as gender roles are concerned. Both the male and their female counterparts had distinct positions in which they undertook. For instance, the women made the tasks of clearing land for agriculture before the coming of the missionaries while the men prepared the soil using hoes. The women were entitled to owning family property in most communities in the southeastern region such as the Cherokee. Moreover, the children identified themselves with the mother’s lineage. Men hunted and took part in warfare while the women took care of the families. Nevertheless, the interaction with the Europeans played a significant role in underlining the fact that the women can engage in the majority of the men roles in the society and vice-versa (Hummon).

Markets

A market refers to a place where people convene to engage in the exchange of products. The coming of the Europeans played a significant role in the steep decline of the fur trading activities as it agitated the Indian communities in the Southeastern part to rising against the Europeans who were after the trade. On the other hand, the Europeans sold guns to the natives a fact that necessitated the emergence of the slave trade in the southeastern part. Besides, the decline of the fur trade played an integral role in the rise of the cotton market (Independence Hall Association in Philadelphia). The slaves were used in the cotton plantations a fact that ensured there was an increase in the production of cotton in several areas of the southeastern part. Also, the interaction between the Europeans and the American Indian societies led to the introduction and use of better farm implements that ensured an improved cotton productivity.

The use of ox-drawn plow replaced the use of hoes while the use of the cotton gin improved the processing time in the industries. As a result, the coming of the Europeans played a significant role in an increase in competition for land and market for trading purposes between the natives and the French traders leading to a subsistence market economy. As a result, the increased competition led to the emergence of a class of wealthy merchants or traders who played a pivotal role in controlling the trading activities in the Southeastern part of the United States (Hummon). Similarly, the use of slaves in the farms led to the emergence of social classes as they formed the low quality in the society.

Conclusion

The American Indian societies experienced a lot of challenges as far as the US hegemony was concerned. The US hegemony ensured the American Indian natives changed their administrative ways as it played a significant role in the termination of the treaties previously signed between the residents and the federal state. As a result, the Native Americans subject to the American rule. The coming of the Europeans as missionaries ensured exchange of cultural activities between the natives and the visitors. For instance, a fraction of the apostles adopted the cultural aspects of the residents due to their brutality and unwelcoming nature. Similarly, the Europeans ensured that there was an improvement in the market structures available. For instance, the introduction of the slave trade provided there was an increase in the number of workers in the cotton plantations. Thus, it led to an increase in the quantity of cotton supplied in the market.

Critique

Although the American Indian colonialism played a significant role in the introduction of civilization to the people, it failed to explain the effect of the coming of the missionaries on various aspects of the society such as interfamily marriages a fact that is predominant in the Indian cultures, yet it contradicts the Christian doctrines. Moreover, it does not explain the roles postulated to the American Indian people through their boundaries were moved due to the war.

Works Cited

Biegon, Rubrick. US Power in Latin America. Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge, 2017. Document.

Hummon, Serge F. “American Indians, missions, and the United Church of Christ .” 12 March 2017. American Indian, Missions, and the United Church of Christ . Document. 10 November 2017.

Independence Hall Association in Philadelphia. “ Native American Society on the Eve of British Colonization.” 19 February 2017. U.S History. Document. 10 November 2017.