Who is the Primitive????????????????

[greywolf22]

Who is the Primitive?????????????
When white men first walked on shore in the U.S. who were the primitives the Native Americans living here or the Europeans. If you looked through the Native Americans eyes it was the Europeans.
The Native Americans saw the Europeans as a people who were not capable of taking care of them selves in their new environment and had to be babied along, where Native Indians were in tuned to their environment to survive in it. The Europeans wore heavy cloths year round where as the Native Americans dressed for the seasons and could not understand the Europeans reasoning wearing such clothing.The Europeans did not bath and smelt very bad as they did not believe in taking baths, the Native American bathed several times a day and knew the importance of cleanliness.
Who had a better life before the Europeans arrived in America if you take in most considerations, the Europeans or Native Americans?
Jack

[Scorpion68]

Jack - It's a no brainer.  The Europeans were by far the primitives.  They came to a foreign land expecting it to adapt to their ways and when it didn't they died.  Unfortunately they also brought diseases with them and their unclean ways.  The Natives never had a chance.  They were lied to and taken advantage of at every opportunity.  ---Chuck

[CousinDan]

Lets get deeper...did the native "Americans" come from the south or through Alaska via the "Russian" Bering Straight?

[Scorpion68]

Dan'l - No expert here but just about everything I've read has the Bering strait as the cross over point.  Back in the day, 14,000BC that was supposedly a landbridge to North America from Eurasia.  But, I'm always up to learn new stuff.  ---Chuck

[CousinDan]

so the Europeans encountered the native Russians or maybe Egyptians cause America wasn't America in their eyes!

[CousinDan]

Sorry guys my point is they were never native "Americans" they were here way before "America"!  We forced them to be "American"!

[Scorpion68]

Dan'l - Well, in a manner of speaking yea.  But the Natives that the Europeans first encountered when they landed here were actually Indigenous Natives to this landmass.  While they were not the original Natives to migrate across the landbridge, they were descended from them, thereby making them Indigenous Natives.  I was not born in Florida but my children were, which makes them Native Floridians.  Get it.  Call them what you will - they were here on what is now North America long before the Europeans or Vikings landed here.  ---Chuck

[CousinDan]

I agree Chuck!  I just wonder what or if they called themselves since they were here long before Ameigo Vespucci was even born!  I like native Cherokee or native Sioux!

[CousinDan]

Why would they even like to be associated with us!  After all we did send them down the Trail of Tears!  Sorry man it's just a touchy subject!  It still goes on today and it makes me sick!

[roustabout149]

Primitive:  Pertaining to the beginning or origin; first; earliest; primary.  Resembling the manners or style of long ago.  Of or pertaining to the earliest anthropological forms or civilizations; primitive man; primitive culture.  You seem to think that primitive means other than it does.  The civilization that existed in the Americas in the beginning, was a primitive culture.  Point blank.  Bathing and not being able to fend for yourself does not make you primitive.  What is your definition of primitive?  The civilizations that resided in the Americas first...were the primitives!  If I were of a culture that lived here when the Europeans arrived, looking through their eyes, I would have wondered many things!  I certainaly wouldn't have thought, "Oh, your primitive", because they weren't.  The Europeans were the ones who didn't belong.

[ksrocks]

I say you started very good topic here Jack,as you always do! Point well taken, Im sure they probably did find our ancestors very unsettling they were invaded by our great -and- great grand parents. I think will be no different, just less violent when the Chinese take over our United State. Money wise they own us anyway, they could call our bluff anytime. Just say payup or give us CA. B) Let em have it!

[turkeytail]

Native American lived in peace (more or less) compared to the early old world settlers. Imperialistic war mongers would be a better word than settlers. I dont believe leading a simple life qualify s them as primitive.

[wmwallace]

My overview is simple, whether who was primitive or not, who lived right? It was indeed the Native Americans. They lived from the land, were in tune with nature, and took what they needed. Were not wasteful. As pointed out in an earlier post, the European attempt to find new land was due to their war mongering ways and their dessimation (Not sure if spelled correctly) of their own land and civilization.
  Looking at what little written record of facts remain the Indians were shocked at how coniving we were upon our arrival. They were used to truthfulness and honorable behaviour for the most part. We showed them the opposite.
   Read the report saved and referenced in the book "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee." Where the U.S. Calvary sent in a new Indian Agent who played as though he was appauled at how the Native's had been treated, and told him he was going to change things, let them leave the reservation bounderies and go on a buffalo hunt beyond the Eastern boundary. Knowing full well that the warriors of the tribe would be the one's to lead the hunt. Upon being pleased with the result the tribe went on the hunt. This new agent then called the calvary in to swarm the remaining Men, woman and children which led to near total extinction of the remaining natives. There are far more gory details as to what the soldiers did, but before you stand up for the Europeans, I would recommend reading "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee."
  Just remember, History is written by the victors. That doesn't make the winner right.-Bill

[wmwallace]

An added note, look at how we are trying to transform our culture with recycling to save our damaged Earth, do you think the Native American's would have put themselves in such peril as we have?????

[powwowsquaw]

Good Morning Gents!    My what a hornet's nest of emotions -and- feelings!  So, I'll just comment...What I would give to have been considered part of this Old, Proud, Loyal, Honest -and- most of all...Loving...Community of people!!!!!!!  I just about would give it ALLL!!!!!  How fantastic (literally)...It couldn't have been a more perfect time -and- place...And we would have treasured every minute we had been honored with!   Good Morning :kiss: