English Views of the Native Americans :: essays papers

side Views of the autochthonic AmericansAfter reading chapter three of Ungers American Issues, I now have a better grounds of how English settlers looked upon the lifestyles of the inwrought Americans. Four key people that have led to this understanding are Hugh Jones, Hugh Henry Brackenridge, William Penn, and John Heckewelder. In their essays they give accurate accounts of how the Native Americans lived, through their eyes. I also see how European beliefs reflected their views and how this set the distri entirelyor point for conflict among these groups.In Hugh Jones essay titled, Characteristics of the Indians, he basically gives a genuine account of how the Indians live their daily life. Although his account is mostly factual, his European biases do play a major role in his interpretation of Indian ways. In one instance, in describing the Indians rejoicing and war dances, Jones says that they used, the most antick sic gestures, in the most frightful range, with a hideous noise (Unger, p. 43). To Jones and other Englishmen their dress may seem frightful and the noise may sound hideous, but that is his credence. To the Indians this is normal and a way of life. This just shows the white mans ignorance to the culture of the Native Americans. In a second instance Joness describes the Indians in their finest dress. He states that the Indians swear they are looking their best when they are ridiculously dressed. Once again he is giving his opinion of the definition of what is considered ridiculous to the English. Jones also pokes playfulness at many of the traditions of the Indians, for example, the way they wear their hair or the photograph on their faces. He notes this as being comical and also uses derision in portraying these traditions. Jones essay provides many useful facts about the Indian way of life, but his European biases prevent him from disclosing the actual truth.Hugh Henry Brackenridge has a very opposing view towards the Indi ans. Jones never really gives his personal opinion on whether or not he liked the Indians, but Brackenridge come across his view very clear. He makes this apparent in the title of his essay, The Indians throw No Exclusive Claim to America. Brackenridge supports this notion with many references to the Bible. He states that The substantial of this earth was given to man, and all descendants of Adam have a right to share it equally (Brackenridge, in Unger, p.