European Invasion of North America essays

European Invasion of North America essays On July 24, 1534, Jacques Cartier erected at the mouth of Gaspe harbour and placed a thirty foot cross in the name of France. Cartier's "traffic sign had pointed the way for explorers, missionaries, traders and settler who had gradually changed, dispersed, and enclosed the Native populations." With the coming of the Europeans to North America, brought many changes to the land and the people inhabiting it. By the end of the nineteenth century, most of North America was Europe. The Amerindians became part of this "European mould". With the takeover, Amerindians were taken advantage of by the Europeans through trade, religion and land and eventually started to fade from the "new Europe" of North America. The native inhabitants greeted the arrival of the first Europeans warmly. The natives offered their unexpected visitors with hospitality, willingness to trade and provided the Europeans with advice on things such as food and transport. For the exchange of furs, the Amerindians took great pleasure in obtaining iron products and other commodities. With Europeans settling in North America, their purposes was to develop a commercial system of early modern capitalism. The trading post was set up to support this capitalist structure, which brought profit-oriented trading practices to the Europeans. In 1670, a monopoly was formed. The Hudson's Bay Company was the only company allowed to trade fur. The fur trade provided the framework for a profitable mutual partnership between the Amerindians and the Europeans. The profits from the furs, which went back to France, financed the European empires in North America. Slowly, the natives started to deteriorate. Traders found that the na tives were very fond of alcohol, and began trading alcohol to them. Traders found this the best way to satisfy the natives' demands as well; it would protect European profit. Many Amerindians perished from the abuse of alcohol. Tribes soon began tradin...