How did interaction between the Jesuit and the Huron change both groups?

Answer 1

Well, the Jesuits brought a number of communicable diseases to Huronia, wiping out most of the civilization and leaving the remnants easy pickings for the Iroquois. The Jesuits that were left were mostly made into martyrs. Overall, not a relationship made in Heaven.

Answer 2

Interaction with the Hurons allowed Jesuits to attempt to convert "savages" to Christianity, as well as bring that religion to the "New World." Some Jesuits were martyred because of their attempted conversions, which was considered a *very* good thing by the priests.

The impact of the Jesuits on the Huron was much more drastic and severe. Here are a few ways in which Europeans in general had on the Amerindians--these factors also impacted the Huron.

***1. Disease***

Because the Amerindians didn't have immunities to diseases such as smallpox, these illnesses devastated the native population. In many instances, there was about a 90% mortality rate in some areas due to disease.

***2. Guns and Ammunition***

The guns the Europeans brought with them to the "New World" changed the way in which warfare was fought by the Amerindians. Namely, the efficiency in which killing could be accomplished was improved, leading to yet more casualties.

***3. Fur Trade***

In the north (the Great Lakes regions, Maine, Canada, etc.), the fur trade was a big source of income for Amerindians. Amerindians hunted animals and prepared the hides, while the Europeans bought these furs.

Note that, in many Amerindian cultures (like the Huron), the role of women was different than what westerners consider "normal." Although the men in these cultures (the ones in the north, anyway) hunted the animals, the women prepared the hides.

There was overhunting, which resulted in some Amerindian "nations" to encroach onto the land of their neighbors. War among the Amerindians was the result (such as the warring between the Huron and the Iroquois). Add guns into the mix and the casualties begin to reach catastrophic levels.

***4. Patriarchy***

Many Amerindian cultures like the Huron were matriarchal, where women held more social and political importance than did men. In addition, many of these cultures were matrilineal (a family's bloodline is traced through the mother) and matrilocal (the husband moved in with the wife and her family). In some cultures (like that of the Iroquois and Huron), the women farmed, which provided the staples important to the tribe/nation. Women, in cultures like the Cherokee, were warriors and fought in wars. Most often in these matriarchal cultures, women were the traders and controlled the money. In addition, women were the storytellers--religion and history was passed orally from generation to generation by women.

European culture, on the other hand, was patriarchal. This is the society we are most used to. Men control politics, war, religion, etc. Women control the home. Despite changes toward equality, the roles have not changed much in modern times. The Europeans transplanted patriarchy into the "New World," transforming the role of Amerindian women for the worse. As far as trade is concerned, the European men refused to trade with Amerindian women, which further decreased the status the women once had.

***5. Religion***

European religion was (and is) centered around patriarchy. Amerindian women lost their role as storyteller and the vacuum was filled by missionaries. As European religion focused on the subjugation of women, converted Amerindian men made it a point to subjugate their wives.

***6. Alcohol***

Europeans brought with them alcohol, which had a lasting long-term effect on the Amerindians. There are many that believe that, as a result, a large proportion of Amerindians today have a problem with alcohol.

***7. Warfare***

Europeans did not discriminate between man, woman, or child when waging war--each was a potential person to kill. This was unheard of by the Amerindians--many cultures would integrate enemy women and children into their tribe/nation. Over time, Amerindians began to fight like the Europeans.

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These are a few ways in which the Europeans affected the Amerindians, although there are more.

There is a great book about the Huron/Jesuit relationship called "Chain Her by One Foot: The Subjugation of Native Women in Seventeenth-Century New France," by Karen Anderson. This is a wonderful book, though there are some conclusions Anderson comes to that I don't wholly agree with (such as the reasoning behind some Huron and Iroquois behavior). Other than that, it is an outstanding book.

Also, the movie "Black Robe" (1991) gives a pretty good look into Huron and Iroquois society, as well as the impact the Jesuits had on their culture. I love this movie.

Answer 3

The idea of the Great Spirit came from the Jesuits. The Indians' own religion was animism and shamanism.