Native American US History Classwork

Link to Archive: https://archive.org/stream/conciseschoolhis02camp#page/118/mode/2up

The purpose of this assignment was to explore how Native Americans were viewed during the 1880's. First, we looked at definitions of of the words, "savage" and 'savagery." Then from the archive listed, we read a certain range of the passage from the archive, and the references to Native Americans as "savages" was explored by using a specific word choice of the word. Using this research, we then formulated how we would view Native Americans if we were American students living in that time frame.

Savage- fierce, violent, uncontrollable. Also they can be referred to as a member of people who are uncivilized and primitive.

Savagery- The quality of being fierce or cruel. Also can be referred to the condition of being uncivilized and primitive. Without society; wild.

In the passage of the archive, it portrays the Native Americans as ruthless, merciless, and dangerous people. It creates this image of a group of people, who are not stationary, and will kill if anything in their way. If I was an American student living in this time period, the descripition of the Native Amercicans as savages would terrify me, and I would never want to interact with one. I believe that if I ever saw a Native American, I would act in defense and try to kill them because of the way the book portrays them as savages. Even if there were tribes that consisted of peaceful members, the thought would not cross my mind because I would be preoccupied by the thought of being attacked by them. The reading talks about how the Native Americans lived in this small huts constructed from simple materials, which suggests that their shelter was not permanent. The archive also talks about how they tortured their prisoners to the extreme, causing a lot of pain and trauma, which shows how they never showed mercy in anything. Types of torture included burning the prisoner at a stake by a slow fire, and it was actually considered as pride to the tribe to torture the enemy to their death. Ultimately, I would be extremely scared of the Native Americans and would never want to mess with one under my choice.