Would the tribes of North America be better off if the British had not colonized N. America?

Question

Would they still control N America, or would N America have been colonized by other more advanced nations?

Answer 1

The American natives of both continents were Stone Age civilizations in a world filled with guns, bombs and cannons.

The continents were doomed to be conquered by whichever more modern civilization got here first.

Answer 2

This is an alternate history question that I would like to answer: "Would the tribes of North America be better off if the British had not colonized N. America?" Here are my two possibilities based on your question:

1.) If the British hadn't colonized North America, then other European nations would settle on the continent. The Dutch ruled New Amsterdam (present-day New York), the French ruled their New France colony that included Louisiana and Quebec, the Spanish ruled Mexico, and the Russians ruled Alaska during the 18th century, so if any or all of these nations expanded their territories then a European-North American war would erupt. Either that or perhaps there would be partitions without conflict. In these foreign occupations on what were Indian lands the locals would succumb to war and disease as they did by the British in our timeline, or perhaps they seek and live in peace with the Europeans without all of the epidemics.
2.) What if North America was colonized not by the British but the Vikings instead? Let's say that in an alternate AD 1000 the Vikings have a short presence on the continent, and they bring in the wheel, horses, and for worse, European diseases such as smallpox. This would bring in the Native Americans full resistance to disease and possibly prevent other European imperialists from taking over in later centuries, thus bringing local tribes their own world power status.

Answer 3

The tribes of N. America would have been just fine if no one had colonized but, it would have happened no matter what. The Spanish had already been here & had settled some parts of this country, also the French, the Norsemen had been here & settled in Greenland, they would have returnd at some time. It was inevitable that this land be settled, guess the British were as good, if not better than some of the others.

Answer 4

Africans didn't have the resources to colonize a new land. Much less enslave a more powerful race than them at the time. Also being African doesn't automatically make a person nice. They would have went to war eventually. If I was a Native American back then, I would not let anyone take my land. I agree with Mande. And Africans have sold their families into situations they know will be bad. And the Europeans didn't come here with slaves. They would not have been able to enslave the Europeans even if they had an army. Also just because they're African doesn't mean they wouldn't enslave Native Americans. Africans have been enslaving each other for years. If needed, they probably would enslave Native Americans. They didn't know the land. They wouldn't have survived.

Answer 5

It was inevitable that some technologically advanced, sea-faring culture would colonize the Americas. If it hadn't been the British, it would have been the French, or the Hessian's, or the Dutch, or the Portuguese. The Spanish did quite well colonizing South America, much to the detriment of that continent. We all would have been better off if colonization hadn't been so brutal.

Answer 6

From a native American perspective (I'm not Indian), they claimed that the arrival of Christopher Columbus heralded the downfall of all Indians across America (I agree with them). It is also written that Jamestown's first colonist were slowly dying one at a time from the harsh winter, and they would have likely all perished if not for a lone Indian who knew how to speak English, because he had lived in England for a short time, before returning to his people. Squanto, the English-speaking Indian, was the bridge that allowed communication between the English settlers and the Wampanoag Indians, who gave the settlers food to survive their first harsh winter. Had the Wampanoag Indians not offered their assistance, its likely the entire Jamestown colonist would've all perished from famine and disease. England may had not sent any more settlers, concluding the new world was too harsh of an environment. However, other nations who were also engaged in colonizing the new worlds were Spain, France, and Holland. Had England not established themselves, it likely one of the other colonizing nations would've taken their place.

Answer 7

Most of the nomadic tribes were extremely warlike and with hundreds of tribes and the xenophobia that existed between most of them would have led to a methodical eradication of tribes in a Darwinian fashion. I doubt they would have survived as distinct societies for more than another century. Couple that with the ease many accepted and assimilated with settlers and most were doomed.

The tribes that remain reservation bound in this day and age are rapidly dwindling and without sincere efforts their languages and culture will be gone in a generation. The only thing that will remain is the Indian casino and in a hundred years history will teach that roulette and poker were major parts of the indian sociological makeup.

Answer 8

Look at it this way if the Spanish would have colonized the whole of North America it would be like Mexico is right now. Now what do you think?

Answer 9

N. America would have been colonized sooner or later. But maybe colonized by someone who realized the worth of the Americn Indian.

Answer 10

There wasn't a nation more advanced than the British at that time. Nor is there one today more advanced than the US. Your argument while interesting is flawed. You could compare every civilization to the one before it as far back as you wish and it is always the same. Nations are conquered and fade away. The Indians of Mexico defeated by the Spanish for example.