Do you feel American Indians were "savages"? Explain why or why not?

Question

I am part caucasion/american indian (cherokee) and I am curious on how people feel about them. In lots of books they are called savages. Do you feel that way. I don't and I will explain why after I get some responses. I feel there are more savages today than there were then.

T C I don't take it personal.

Just a couple of examples of why I feel the way I do

American Indians killed animals and used all parts of the animal for food,shelter,warmth
Now people kill animals for sport without using any of the animal

American Indians killed over territory among other things
Now people kill over shoes,jackets,just things they want

I don't recall ever reading that American Indians killed their own children
Now you can watch TV and here about some parent killing their child,...almost daily

Those are just a few.
I know that alot of people feel the same way about American Indians as I do. But many don't. I am not wanting anyone to think this question is a discrimination,racist,etc question. Just wanted opinions on how people felt.
Thanx everyone for the answers.

Answer 1

I totally agree, we just finished reading The Swiss Family Robinson and Heidi in class, and the Indians are considered savages and the Robinsons in particular are depicted as righteous and potential saviors to the savages. I think that this was just a way that white people were able to justify things like slavery and the extermination of a race. Since we were savages, did it really matter if we died like animals? Not to Whitey.

KNOW YOUR ROOTS.

Awesome question keep it up.

Answer 2

One must first look at the context of the word "savage" before attempting to answer this. There are three definitions for savage as a noun. (1) a person belonging to a primitive society (2) a brutal person (3) a rude or unmannerly person. Now, since we have this knowledge, let's apply it to Native Americans, shall we?

In the first definition, yes, they were savages. The Europeans were advanced in their development. They had metal armor, use of gunpowder and advanced engineering skills. The Native Americans were still in the neolithic stage of development. They hadn't even reached their Bronze Age yet. So, yes, compared to the European invaders, they belonged to a "primitive" society.

In the second definition, no, they were not savages. In fact, by this definition of a brutal person, the Europeans were the savages. They murdered Native Americans, stole their land and wrecked their way of life. That's pretty brutal.

In the third definition, both Native Americans and Europeans individuals could be considered savages, depending on the perspective of your culture as you view them. What is polite in one culture is rude in another.

As for my personal opinion, I don't feel that "savage" is a proper way to describe a culture that is developing differently. I find it to be a racist word and am glad that society is moving away from its use. So, in short to my (rather long, sorry about that) answer, I don't feel that Native Americans were "savages".

Answer 3

From my reading, the only reason they were considered 'savages' was their nomadic ways as compared to the European settlers. The customs of the Indians were alien to most Caucasians. The climate during most of the year was pleasant enough that clothing wasn't a big deal which would shock the Puritanical Christians. Their methods of doing battle with clubs and spears and arrows instead of a 'nice, clean' musket ball probably seemed crude and ghastly in most cases. Taking members of rival tribes as prizes to use as slaves and breeding stock further increased their 'savage' nature.

Look at how Americans view Middle Easterners, they eat with one hand and wipe with the other, they hide their women from view. It's not acceptable to bed a woman outside of marriage, but goats are fair game. Pretty savage stuff. If you don't understand a culture and its history, many things will seem savage to you. To each culture, its own traditions seem perfectly normal.

Answer 4

My mother is half Native American, I never thought of them as savages, the tribe my grandfather came from actually saw white people as savages,and called them "pale ones" he taught my mother the same way he felt. But I'm not like that. No one should be savages, things just need peace.

Answer 5

When the European peoples first encountered Native Americans, they came upon peoples and cultures that were totally foreign to them. In their minds, the Europeans equated the Native American culture and apparent lack of technology to the "barbaric" ancestors of their own distance past. So, to them, Native Americans were "savages."

Were Native Americans savages? No. They were simply different.

Answer 6

american indians were not "savages" until the white men made them so. if some one invaded my homeland and tried to force me off of it, i too, would become a savage.
i believe the real savages were the white men who tried to force their ways on the indians and drove them out of their lands. you , being part cherokee, surely must know of the trail of tears, which was a truly dark event in the history of our nation. this was perpetrated by the 'civilized" white man against the "savage" native american.
sorry if i came off a little prejudiced, but these are my true feelings. thanks for letting me vent. i feel better now.---BM

Answer 7

Sure, All American Indians were savages. All blacks are basket ball players. All Hispanics are lazy All whites are mean, dumb, and stupid. All Americans are Devil worshipers (Ask any Iranian or Iraqi) Tell us how you really feel. But don't take it too personal. It is just the publisher's opinion, and where is he today? DEAD!

Answer 8

No... they were not and are not savages. Tribes in the america's were "civilizations" and some of the customs they had did not make sense to caucasians (religion, an occasional culture of human sacrifice), other cultures do the same things (think burning witches, stoning people, beheadings).

Answer 9

IMO...The Indians had a deep and abiding love for the land and nature. Their customs all revolved around that respect for nature.They did not consider their customs strange...only other cultures did. All cultures consider the customs of other cultures strange...just because they are different than their own. I do not consider them "savages", in fact, some of their customs had a unique beauty.

Answer 10

No ,They were VICTIMS whose land was being invaded and taken away by the foriegn settlers .
The settlers came over here for freedom and religious rights ,yet they denied those very things to the OWNERS of the U.S.
The American Indian was just using covert tactics to rid themselves of the enemy .
I feel very sorry for what my ancestors did to them .