Relations between settlers and Native American tribes have always been hostile. The main issue in their concerns was that there were lands on which Native American tribes lived and which became the target of the settlers. Hundreds of people became victims of the long-term confrontation, and in this struggle, the advantage was often on the side of the Indians (Bacon & Norton, 2019). Many attacks on Native American lands have led to constant clashes and many deaths of indigenous residents and settlers.
The settlers began striving to develop new lands in the west, on which Native American tribes were already located. The massive influx of white colonists to the continent’s west coast began only in the middle of the XIX century and soon grew dramatically — gold was found in California (Bacon & Norton, 2019). Most of the local Indians were not belligerent because, for several centuries, they lived in calm conditions. Many immigrants from America and Europe began to displace indigenous tribes from their lands (McKay et al., 2020). Nevertheless, the tribes started to resist, and in these clashes, they lost many of their tribe members.
In the end, the Indian leaders realized that the numerical superiority was on the enemy’s side and agreed to transfer vast territories to the American authorities. If desired, the Americans could agree with the Indians on peaceful coexistence, especially since there was enough free land in the country (McKay et al., 2020). Despite this, they decided to eliminate the obstacle in the form of native inhabitants of America and ruthlessly eliminated them.
In conclusion, the relations between the native tribes of Americans and immigrants were very hostile. This was due to the constant confrontation over the lands of the west that belonged to the indigenous tribes but which the settlers wanted to take over. The settlers’ struggle methods were ruthless, and there was no chance to establish relations and peacefully agree on the division of possessions.
References
Bacon, J., & Norton, M. (2019). Colonial America today: U.S. Empire and the political status of Native American nations. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 61(2), 301-331.
McKay, D., Vinyeta, K., & Norgaard, K. (2020). Theorizing race and settler colonialism within U.S. sociology. Sociology Compass, 14(1), e12821.