Did the Pilgrims just happen upon the richest country or did they make it the richest?

Question

Asking this question in reference to this answer I read to another question:

"The more important question is, why are the United States and Mexico so different? Why is it that we have so much more than Mexico? Did the Pilgrims just happen to land in the richest country the world has ever known? Or did they CREATE the richest country the world has ever known? Perhaps if Mexicans turned their energy inward, and fixed what's wrong with their own country, there wouldn't be any need to leave it. I'd go as far as to suggest that conditions in Mexico would improve if we shut down the border, and shipped back all the illegals. Then the problem becomes simple. Either the Mexicans fix Mexico, or they starve to death. I think they're smart enough to do what they have to do, if they no longer have the option of running away from it."

DOES ANYONE ELSE BUT ME SEE THE FLAW IN THIS LOGIC? THE PILGRIMS WOULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED THE FIRST WINTER HERE WITHOUT THE HELP OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS.

The Pilgrims came here unannounced, uninvited and WITHOUT VISAS. They used the Native Americans solely for the purpose of learning how to survive here then mercilessly slaughtered their families and stole their land. Perhaps you've heard of the "Trail of Tear?" The Natives who survived were herded up like cattle and forced to walk hundreds of miles to reservations where they STILL live.

To suggest that Mexicans GO HOME and fix their own government would lead me to the question of WHY DIDN'T OUR IMMIGRANT ANCESTORS DO THE SAME? Better yet...why can't we fix our own government HERE? Since it's so EASY to do. Are we implying that the Mexicans are SMARTER and know HOW to fix all of their government's problems and WE can't?

Did they pay passage to the Native Americans? Who did they pay passage to? To God? Who owns this land?

I only give thumbs down to people who have no idea what they are talking about, people who have no respect for the past or how they got here and people who have no respect, compassion or concern for the lives of others. I also give thumbs down to people who don't know how to capitalize, punctuate, or use correct grammar.

Answer 1

The United States and Mexico are hard to compare. In North America, the English settlers encountered relatively small tribes of Indians, and they were - for the most part - able to shove aside or kill off the natives and create a "new society". In Mexico the Spaniards conquered millions of Indians who lived in settled societies, and they basically ruled them as an elite minority. In many respects this is still the case, except that over time many of the "Indians" have become "mestizos" - even then a large majority of Mexico's population is fundamentally of Indian origin. This has much to do with the fact that a large part of Mexico's population is very poor. Most Indian reservations in the USA are extremely poor too.


As for illegal immigration - its mostly a side effect of globalization. Here in Mexico, in the last 20 years, we have seen the markets replaced by WalMart and Sears, and McDonalds and Burger King have replaced the taqueria. The American presence here is just as strong as the Mexican presence there. I think some Americans give the Mexican government too much "credit" for pushing migration, like politicians in any country, Mexican politicians will do anything for a few extra votes - its mainly the result on NAFTA, "free trade," and globalization, all of these things are in place to make borders much less relavent.

Answer 2

I agree. The pilgrims may have created a rich land and if this is true they did this by stepping on the backs of Everyone who got in their way. They committed Genocide, Torture, Rape, Kidnapping, Slavery, Cultural Genocide, and more... All for greed. And I wouldn't necessarily use the word pilgrims, I mean the colonizers.

And it is true that many wouldn't have survived without learning from Natives. They also wouldn't have survived without the hospitality and welcoming nature of Natives (vs. being warlike as some people falsely believe)

It is also ignorant to say our country is better than Mexico. If you don't live there or if you don't know that culture truly then you cannot speak on this. Our country may be better in some ways but it is worse in some as well, think about that...

Why don't we put our energy into educating ourselves and creating social change and cultural understanding instead of hate and ignorance?

Answer 3

The 21st century, wow, the good ole USA, yeah, well here we are, our polluted rivers running dry, our rain forests deforested, our animals & fish headed into extinction, our infrastuucture crumbling, our way of life headed for the wall doing 180 mph. The world has caught up and is preparing to pass the American economy. As far as top ten nations go it's looks as if we may jockey into 5th or 6th rung on the economic ladder early this century.
Who has the riches, who owns our national debt, if it's called on or the Euro dollar takes over our children's children will still be paying over our pierced economic sovereignty miscalculations.
Then add mother nature into the equation and what do you have, a third world nation baby. Thats not even adding a race of people hell bent on our demise.
It seems like your talking of the past like the19th & 20th century. This is the 21st century and a major flaw was not reviewed. History always repeats it's self and if remembered or researched history would have revealed that in the 20th century a mighty nation fell to a status far below it's lofty status of the past. If you really look and see what happened to Russia you may see similarites that are showing up as cracks in the taken for granted way of life in America.
As far as Mexico goes they have a lot of oil, history changes the landscape and oil changes the fortunes of countries. What was once in America cannot be duplicated for once the resources and land are depleted change arrives. Become survivors for survivors in time are suvivors.

Answer 4

Go study your history , dear . You will find out that Mexico is a rich country and could be as great as the US , but their Government is so corrupt that only the wealthy control it .
They don't want to spend their money on schools , health care or the infrastructure in Mexico .
By the way they have strong security of their borders , and you can't just walk across their borders .
They want to send their people to the US because they want the money their people send home to Mexico .

Would you believe that SOME American Taxpayers don't care that they are subsidizing Mexico ?
Well I'm not one of them , I care and I don't want my taxes spent that way !!!!!
I am of Native American blood and resent you using us as an excuse for illegals flooding my country . !!!!!!!!

Answer 5

The times are different now - there were no immigration laws back when the pilgrims came. There are established immigration laws now and you can't compare the present times to the past.

No, I don't see the flaw in what this person said - it makes perfect sense to me.

Americans made this country what it is. Mexicans made their country what it is. I don't want Mexicans or anyone else to make our country into another mess like Mexico.

Answer 6

The Pilgrims were a bunch of religious fanatics,disliked in their own country.They came here basically so they could practice their religion without persecution.They didn't make this country rich.Mexico and most of Latin America is that way because of corruption run rampid.Like I said before and I will always say,the common "joe" in Mexico cannot change anything.We Americans who criticize other countries are thinking like Americans.If we would just stop and imagine how it would be for us if we were there.

Answer 7

im so sick of hearing people say that is was different back then because there werent laws against immigration,,, thats so stupid,, well i dont agree with the immigration laws now because americans made them and they had no right to,, no the pilgrims didnt just find the richest land and no they didnt make this country that way,, millions of immigrants did,, because what americans fail to realize is that we are all immigrants,, we all molded this country,, and it doesnt just belong to americans,,, specifically only for white people , i think not!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

Pilgrims made this country. Pilgrims made this country great. They made laws. Abide laws, or get out. Period.


The fact that Indians helped Britons to survive first winter doesnt justify influx of Mexicans and their breaking the laws.


PS Basically You give thumbs downt to people that disagee with you. Since disagreeing with yuo = No compassion whatsoever(In your world only of course).

Answer 9

my ancestors was legal they payed passage to get here. i have proof, family research miss thang. the people who came here built this land to what it is today. they passed their dreams on to each decedent. and i have native american blood in me. i have a right to be here because i was born here and i am a legal citizen of the united states of america. stop trying to justify the illegals.

Answer 10

i see you are down thumbing people who don't agree with you. you are a closed minded individual.

who care's what happened with our ancestors. you people are always talking about the past. you all need to learn what illegal means, it means breaking the law no matter what it is. go back to school, start at kindergarten and work your way up.