Premium Essay

State Structures In Native American Society

Submitted By
Words 693
Pages 3
Essay n°2: the early thinkers and the Native American Societies

This essay is trying to seek elements of answer to the question of the absence of state structures in Native American societies in the writing of Lafitau, Jefferson and Locke. It will also deal with the advantages that the Europeans colonists gained from this disorganization.

Joseph François Lafitau, a very famous French Jesuit priest made a big contribution in the elements we today have about the period of the American colonization. He is still known today, as the father of anthropology. Lafitau in his famous book Customs of the American Indians compared with the Customs of Primitive Times published in 1724 made a deep study of the customs of the Iroquois (a tribe from North …show more content…
Locke, in his work called the Second Treatise of Government used the concept of State of Nature to describe the social organization of the Indians. For him, this “simple organization” and the lack of state structure was directly coming from the laws of nature, themselves coming from God when he created the world. These laws of nature were really basic such as "no one ought to harm another in his Life, Health, Liberty, or Possessions”. He thought that in the state of nature, everyone had to protect his life and his freedom against all. He here meets the thesis of Hobbes who described the state of nature as the ‘war of all against all’. But he also made a clear distinction between the state of nature and what he called the state of …show more content…
But that this reign of the natural order ended when humans decided that they wanted to be governed. He thus thought that, if men could accept to be governed, they had the right to rebel themselves against their government if their natural rights were threatened. For Locke, the state of nature did not end after that the ‘social contract’ was established between the citizens and their represents. On the contrary, this has to be extended to the relations of the ‘civil government’ with the smaller tribes and the others communities such as the Indians.

This Lockian ideals were very present in the mind of one of the first president of the United States of America: Thomas Jefferson. He himself admitted that the American declaration of independence wrote in 1776, was greatly inspired by the Second Treatise of Government.
In his Notes on the State of Virginia, Jefferson refuted the environmentalist theories that claimed the the inferiority of the Indians because of the climate and the geography.
However, when he became president, he pursues a policy that used the lack of structure of the Indians. In 1808 he declared

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Gender Roles In Native American Culture

...It is undeniable that societies and cultures have structures and roles that are intended to apply to men and women. These gender roles and structures also seem to transcend into the literature of that society and time period respectively. There is a particularly stark contrast in the roles of women between cultures in specific stories. European-centric stories tend to have inverted roles of women in comparison to Native American stories. For example, Theseus, a tale of greek mythology, has strikingly contrastive roles of women when juxtaposed to a book such as Land of the Spotted Eagle that emphasizes women’s roles in Native American stories and culture. These examples, among others highlight differences and make note of similarities. The...

Words: 940 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Artresearchpaper

...https://www2.palomar.edu/users/mhudelson/StudyGuides/GreekRoman_WA.htmlProf. Goux ART-5 1 June, 2015 The Mandala: A Comparison of Tibetan Buddhist and Native America Culture Early non-western thought often revolved around the concept of cyclical time. The circularity (a perfection that can never truly be attained in reality due the inevitable variation on the most infinitesimal level) was commonly represented in art and could often be intended to represent cyclical time or the cyclical nature of the world. Mandalas, which are literally translated as circles of essence, were used to represent a sense of order that seemed apparent in the universe at the time of ancient humans. Now, this thought should not be thought of as primitive, like most early western historians would inaccurately assume. The cyclical time and circular order of the universe seemed to be inherent in the common lives of early civilizations, and they simply applied their own form of logic to make predictions about the world around them. So, at its core, this can be considered quite advanced. The most renowned forms of mandalas are apparent in Hinduism and subsequently Buddhism; however, it is now clear that Native Americans also created such “mandalas” with similar social and religious applications. The Native American circles of essence were essentially medicine wheels (although many circular spiritual forms of art existed also). With this regard the Mandala will be related to the medicine wheel. In addition...

Words: 1436 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Soc 315 Week 2

...|What are some attitudes and customs |What is something you admire about | | |States? |United States? |people of this group may practice? |this group’s people, lifestyle, or | | | | | |society? | |Native American |There are many different Native American |There are over 30,000 Native Americans|Native Americans are typically patient.|I admire their fight to keep their | | |tribes and each one is unique. Some Native|living in 16 urban areas of the United|They live a very spiritual lifestyle. |history and legacy alive. So many | | |American history is taught in school. We |States, according to the Bureau of the|They are also group oriented |of their people have moved on with | | |most commonly know of the Sacagawea and |Census | |society, but their spirituality | | |how they helped Lewis and Clark. Native | | |stays strong to their heritage. | |...

Words: 2021 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Ceremony Paper

...In Ceremony, Tayo embodies the combination of both Native American and white cultures. Taking on two cultures makes Tayo bear the effect of a whole society’s confusion at the ways in which the world is changing. Tayo encounters difficulty in identifying his identity, especially since he never knew his father and he was abandoned by his mother at the age of four. He is raised by his aunt who constantly reminds him of his difference. Tayo is educated by a predominately ran white school. However, unlike his friends, he often finds the white ways of life damaged and continues to respect and believe in the Native American traditions that he learns from his family. However, even though Tayo views the white ways of life faulty, he learns that he has to embrace the American culture in order to reflect back to his Native American culture. This explanation is what Tayo learns about being an American. Furthermore, World War II interrupts Tayo's life drastically as it does to most Americans of his generation. The majority of the Native American men who return from World War II turn to alcohol to drown their trauma, which is full of confused anger. More specifically, Tayo along with his cousin Rocky were in World War II. Rocky was killed in war and Tayo became emotionally disturbed. Tayo was more violent when he came back from war. He was disoriented and changed by the foreign culture of war. His aunt who watches over him is still in shock and continues to change the sheets for her two...

Words: 2078 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

European Global Exploration Portugese and Spanish

...The purpose of this paper is to Describe how European global exploration, particularly the Portuguese and Spanish, from 1500-1700, changed the character of both old and new societies. In the fifteenth century, European global expansionism was the driving force that kept the English motivated to expand. Europeans set out on a cycle of overseas voyages that would lead to the organization of European trading posts and colonies in both the Americas and the East. Colonialism is defined as a structure in a colony with a specific linkage; meaning economic, political, cultural, and social ideologies. The colonies linked England to the United States. England, being the mother country, also had a very important role play. The mother country was responsible for providing money for supplies for voyages such as ships, food, soldiers, and weapons etc. Also, England was responsible for the processing and manufacturing of raw materials. Settlers of the colonies needed markets to sell their goods and labor. They also needed a source of labor for the production of raw materials. This new labor force was made up of Native Americans, indentured servants (white slaves who served terms of up to seven years as slaves), and Africans. Columbus and his crew stated that when they arrived in the Americas they found Africans already there. In 1502, the Spanish were the first Europeans to enslave Africans in the Americas. Yet the local population died from European diseases like smallpox...

Words: 1117 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Introduction

...Weichao Xu Sciology 101 Chapter 7 Native American 1. Sociohistorical Perspective Early Encounters A. Place the pre-European colonization number of Native Americans become United States. a) Tribes changed their values, customs and beliefs. B. Debate about native American and European culture. a) Indigenous people to be savage. b) Incorrupt children of nature always engage in pleasurable activities. C. The stereotype of Native Americans is negative. 1. They obstruct Europeans from occupying the native americans’ land. 2. Cruel, treacherous, lying and dirty health. 3. Scalps, firearms and firewater. D. Outsiders frequently generalize about Native Americans. 1. The Native’s American language decrease from 300 to 175 . 2. English become the main language in home, school and work place. E. The relationship between Native Americans and whites. 1. Whits was the newcomers to Native Americans. a) Distrust b) Uneasy truces c) Violent hostilities F. The major issue whose way of life would prevail. 1. European a) Beatings, hangings , and imprisonment. b) The land would be developed further. 2. Native American Natural state, abounding with fish and wildlife. G. Forced relocation of Native American tribes to encourage westward expansion. ...

Words: 2177 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

America A Exercise History Chapter Summaries

...America Name Institution The diverse nature of the American society today serves as a direct indication of a long history of social, economic and political struggle. The society as it is today possesses some uniqueness in the manner in which different groups have managed to live together in respect for values that define each of them. The formation of this society can only be understood by going through a long journey of understanding the process of its formation. This journey is provided in the book “America: a concise history”. Chapter 1 of the book provides a deeper insight into the European society before their movement into America and the lives of the American natives before the colonialists arrived. The most notable thing is the difference that existed between the two societies in terms of economic and technological stature (Henretta, 2012). The Europeans were well advanced and ahead in resource utilization. This chapter clearly places the renaissance period at the core of the explorations that Europe undertook across the world. It is after this period that colonialist ideology was born....

Words: 680 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

A Native American Language

...Jennifer Hawkinson November 18, 2014 Stage 5: Language Autobiography; Algonquian Language A Native American Language Language of any kind helps us to define or shape our culture or society. For thousands of years, we have used language as a way to communicate, trade, or to pass along our history with stories and legends. We have seen how language can grow and develop, and how it is affected by other cultures or societies. Language is always adapting just like everything else where it will flourish in some cases and disappear in others. Native Americans, such as the Powhatan Confederacy of Virginia, once thrived along the Hudson Bay area. This Confederacy consisted of twenty-eight to thirty-two different tribes, who all spoke a dialect form of the Algonquian Language. The Algonquian Language originated from the Algic Language. This language bade consisted of forty-four different sub-languages, all of which fell under the sub-language Algonquian except for two (Thompson, 2014). The Algic Language originated from Proto-Algonquian, which is the original form of all Algonquian Languages, and dates back 3,000 years (Thompson, 2014). Currently the origins of where this language first originated from or how it came about are unknown. Europeans became the first to encounter this language around 1584, when settlers began arriving in the New World (Rountree, 2014). The Algonquian Language consisted of several different sub-languages; to which different forms were spoken; dependent...

Words: 1540 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Organ Bans Native American Mascots

...| Oregon bans Native American school mascots, images | Article 4 | | | Tika ShouldersSoc. 110 T/Thur. 2:15pmProfessor BlossomNovember 5, 2013 | Is it honorable or racist to use Native American Mascots in schools, or professional sports teams? Explain your answer in details. The use of Native American Mascots has been a contentious issue for many years. The exploit of names for sport teams was chosen at time when the dominate group believed that the Native American Indians were a loss and forgotten race. Back in the 20th century Native American tribes were perceived as ruthless, devious, savages, and war-like. According to Joseph Healey (2010) “the persistence of stereotypes and the extent to which they have become enmeshed in modern culture is illustrated by continuing controversies surrounding …names for athletic teams…” (p. 261). Stereotyping indigenous people has been largely perpetuated in our sport teams. When Indian names were chosen to represent sports it does not appear to be because of honor. Native American mascots are a seed of racism and are a general acceptance for institutionalizing American Indians once again. Race-based mascots are very offensive and do not belong in our schools. We are teaching our children that stereotyping and racial discrimination is still acceptable today. The Indian mascots are a creation of a generation that grew up in an era where Native Americans did not get treated fairly. Mascots are a symbol of the extensive history...

Words: 1148 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Social Construction

...define categories of people as inferior and superior” (12). In the U.S., a group of intolerant native-born Americans known as nativists have ranked immigrant groups as inferior and superior based on national origin, physiognomy, economics, religion, and language. From multiple scholarly perspectives,...

Words: 1030 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Native American Cultures Before European Contact

...because I am currently not in the states (I am in Shanghai China right now). That means the only source available to me was the textbook. Sorry if this fail to comply with the requirements. Native American Cultures before European Contact Introduction Before Columbus’s unexpected landfall in 1492, North America has long been untouched by “outsiders”. There were barely any contact or connections between North American cultures and the rest of the world. After 1492, however, people of generations (mostly European colonists) were motivated to come to the “New World”, hoping for the wealth this new-found-land could possibly bestow them. Their encounters with Native American people were therefore inevitable. The Native American people who had resided in the Americas for thousands of years were, to many of the outsiders’ surprise, not some sort of wild “savages”(Boyer et al., p.20). They were comprised of many different communities, or tribes. And the interactions among the tribes were frequent, leading to the fact that the Native American cultures, in general, have formed many common features. The key word to describe the Native American cultures before European contact, if any, can be ‘Equilibrium’. Throughout the history of Native American Indians before 1492, ‘Equilibrium’ had been Native American’s philosophy in dealing with in-tribe, inter-tribe relations as well as their relationship with nature. To illustrate how Native American Indians achieved ‘Equilibrium’, I...

Words: 1001 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Roger Williams Modern Day Liberty

...viewpoint on liberty considering our Puritan foundation and influenced that helped to shape our country from the early beginnings. For a better perspective, we must look back at the Puritan period for the seed of contemporary liberty. While Winthrop was a staunch follower of the Puritan lifestyle and a prominent figure within its structure, however on the other hand, there was also side of him that was partial to the precursor thought of contemporary liberty. For example, he was partial to Roger Williams aiding him safe passage to exile. As a matter of fact, I consider Roger Williams one of the first outspoken activists and proponent of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. Furthermore, he was an early abolitionist in North America against slavery and developed mutually agreeable relationships with Native Americans. In addition, some of Williams’s ideas may have also influenced the religion clause and the first amendment of the United States Constitution . Arguably, the catalyst for ‘modern liberty’ has always been part of the American psyche....

Words: 964 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Social Mobility In America

...America has long been viewed as the land of opportunity for everyone; a place unlike any other where anyone can ascend to the top with hard work. People ravaged by hunger, poverty, and religious imprisonment have traveled across the world for centuries to reach this eden-like destination in hopes of reaching an elite status and living a better life than the one from which they escaped. Generations after the initial waves of immigration, people continue to pursue the dreams shared by their ancestors. However, as the inequality gap continues to grow, one question remains: is social mobility likely for most Americans? Although the statistics show that it is unlikely, social mobility is attainable for some due to special factors and the changing society of the United States....

Words: 1272 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

University of Phoenix Multicultural Matrix

...Format references consistent with APA guidelines. |Part I: Matrix |What is the group’s history in the United |What is the group’s population in the |What are some attitudes and customs |What is something you admire about | | |States? |United States? |people of this group may practice? |this group’s people, lifestyle, or | | | | | |society? | |Native Americans |The original inhabitants of the land were |5.2 million | |I admire their culture and beliefs | | |the native Indians. | | | | |African Americans |The African presence in the united states |316.1 Million |african Americans are known to have oral|I admire their culture and beliefs | | |began almost simultaneously with permanent | |traditions, dance traditions that | | | ...

Words: 1056 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

History Of The Triangular Trade

...economic and social structures of North America and Russia. The economic structure, political system and agricultural system...

Words: 1260 - Pages: 6