how does the film portray european's treatment and view of "natives" during the era of exploration?

How were the natives treated by the Spanish explorers?

Magical Medicine Men. Indigenous males are often portrayed in film and television shows as wise men with magical powers. Usually performing as medicine men of some kind, these characters have little function other than to guide White characters in the right direction. Oliver Stone’s 1991 film “The Doors” is a case in point.

What did the European explorers encounter in their exploration?

England) (Issue) NATIVE AMERICANS, TREATMENT OF ( SPAIN VS. ENGLAND) (ISSUE) When Christopher Columbus landed on the island of Hispaniola in 1492, he met natives there. When …

What did the Europeans discover about the Indians?

 · Our history is one of ethnic genocide towards natives, and it has transgressed with the glorification of murder. The presidency of Andrew Jackson saw hundreds of atrocities by …

Why are documentaries important to Native Americans?

926 Words. 4 Pages. Open Document. The Views of Native Americans and Europeans. During the 16th and 17th centuries, when the Europeans started to come over to the new world, they …

How did the Europeans treat the natives during the age of exploration?

Europeans carried a hidden enemy to the Indians: new diseases. Native peoples of America had no immunity to the diseases that European explorers and colonists brought with them. Diseases such as smallpox, influenza, measles, and even chicken pox proved deadly to American Indians.

How did Europeans view the natives and justify their treatment of them?

1.3 How did Europeans view the Natives and justify their treatment of them? Europeans did not understand Native culture and began to believe in white superiority. They also justified harsh treatment under Christianity.

How did the Native Americans feel about Europeans exploring and claiming the land?

European ideas about owning land as private property clashed with indigenous people's understanding of land use. Native Americans did not believe in private ownership of land; instead, they viewed land as a resource to be held in common for the benefit of the group.

How did Europeans often view natives quizlet?

Europeans viewed them as "uncivilized".

How did the Spanish treat the natives in the New World?

The Spanish attitude toward the Indians was that they saw themselves as guardians of the Indians basic rights. The Spanish goal was for the peaceful submission of the Indians. The laws of Spain controlled the conduct of soldiers during wars, even when the tribes were hostile.

How did colonists treat natives?

Initially, white colonists viewed Native Americans as helpful and friendly. They welcomed the Natives into their settlements, and the colonists willingly engaged in trade with them. They hoped to transform the tribes people into civilized Christians through their daily contacts.

How did English settlers treat natives?

The English treated the Natives as inferior, believed they stood in the way of their God-given right to the land in America and tried to subject the Natives to their laws as they established their colonies.

What were the natives view on land?

Native Americans, on the other hand, traditionally regarded the land as a communal resource, with ownership vested in the group rather than in any one individual.

Why are Native Americans so sparse in movies?

A major reason why these indigenous voices are sparse in film is because Native filmmakers have traditionally been few and far between. White males have long dominated the film industry, and since they are at the creative helm, they have served their own interests, told their own stories, and been bound to popular commercial demands. Yet, Indian filmmakers have been on the rise in recent decades. These storytellers have headed up successful documentaries with accurate facts and integrity in artistic voice, and have moved into more narrative storytelling as they have gained traction, as exhibited by successful films such as Smoke Signals (1998) and Powwow Highway (1989). The future of Native American cinema exists in veteran writers and directors, like documentary filmmaker Sandra Osawa, who have paved the way for rising young storytellers, such as director Sydney Freeland, whose 2014 film Drunktown’s Finest premiered at Sundance Film Festival. These creators will strive to tell truthful and multifaceted stories that allow Native Americans in film to not be defined solely by a stereotype or their racial identity, but rather to represent a complete experience of a human being who has lived within that culture.

How did the author create a synthesis of the history of Native Americans in film?

Using academic literature, film analyses, and contemporary film reviews and articles, the author created a synthesis of the history of Native Americans in film. The author concluded that by becoming producers, directors, and writers of their own stories, American Indians have regained control of their images and been able to combat stereotypes ...

Why were Native filmmakers facilitated in getting involved with documentary film production in large part?

Native filmmakers were facilitated in getting involved with documentary film production in large part because of the support for NAPT from PBS, and because documentary was issuedriven which corresponded well with the political and social movements of the time (Luciano-Adams).

What weapon did Native Americans use in A Man Called Horse?

The authors reference the sympathetic film A Man Called Horse in particular, pointing out the absurdity that the white character would teach the Indian about a bow and arrow, a weapon used by Native Americans for decades (Shohat and Stam 194).

What is revisionism in movies?

In fact, revisionism can also refer to the films that inverted common plotlines and narrative structures to give Native people nuanced and more accurate likenesses and stories in Westerns. Scholars Margo Kasdan and Susan Tavernetti analyze revisionism in the 1970 film Little Big Man, identifying the concept as a positive notion. While still definitively part of the Western film genre, Little Big Man turned convention on its head and showed the Cheyenne tribe as a dynamic and cooperative society retaining many realistic traditions, and alluded to the harsh treatment and displacement of their people committed by white society (Kasdan and Tevernetti 121). The film constantly draws comparison between the functional Natives who are in tune with nature and the cyclical seasons and the white people who by comparison are more savage and less functional. Of course, this film is a standout among many less progressive and more typical films of the era. As Native filmmaking has progressed, it has become increasingly apparent that Native filmmakers are the key to changing the narrative, in effect, rewriting the story that has been told hundreds of times.

What are the challenges of Native Americans in film?

One major challenge for Native Americans in film is not just representation, but accurate representation. Faye D. Ginsburg, in her essay “Screen Memories: Resignifying the Traditional in Indigenous Media,” provides further evidence that the impact of images depicting specific populations on film is historically widespread (Ginsburg 39). She cites Nanook of the North (1922) as proving that “the current impact of media’s rapidly increasing presence and circulation in people’s lives and the globalization of media that it is part of . . . are not simply phenomena of the past two decades” (Ginsburg 39). Nanook of the North was promoted as a documentary about indigenous people in the Arctic, yet in truth was a largely fictional movie with scenes set up by the director. The film created an impression among its large viewing audience wherein people developed a false idea of how the Natives lived. Considering Nanook was made almost a century ago, this problem is deeply rooted in cinema history.

What is the most powerful medium to trace patterns in society?

One can use art, music, literature, television and film to trace patterns in society. Since the invention of moving images in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, film has been a particularly powerful medium.

What movie did Oliver Stone make about Jim Morrison?

Oliver Stone’s 1991 film “The Doors” is a case in point. In this film about the famed rock group, a medicine man appears at key moments in Jim Morrison’s life to shape the singer’s consciousness.

Where do indigenous people live?

In Hollywood films, Indigenous peoples are typically portrayed as living in the wilderness and on reservations. In reality, considerable numbers of tribal members peoples live off reservations, including major cities and just about everywhere else across the U.S. and around the globe. According to Washington University in St. Louis, 60% of the Indigenous population lives in cities. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that New York, Los Angeles, and Phoenix boast the largest Indigenous populations. In Hollywood, however, it is rare to see them portrayed living anywhere that's not desolate, rural, or in the wilderness.

What is the representation of an unsmiling Indigenous person?

This representation of Indigenous tribal members paints them as one-dimensional people who lack the ability to experience or display a similar range of emotions as other racial groups.

Is there a shortage of Indigenous warriors?

In films such as “The Last of The Mohicans,” based on James Fenimore Cooper’s book of the same name, there is no shortage of Indigenous warriors. Hollywood has traditionally portrayed Indigenous peoples as tomahawk-wielding savages, ready to attack White characters and their families.

What were the two elements that the British and Indians were based on?

The two elements which it was based upon could not sustain cordiality: trade and land occupancy. In most cases the trade relation was based upon an exchange of furs for trinkets, firearms, and blankets. When the furbearing animals were depleted the Indians had nothing to exchange and they became embittered. As for land, the British frequently attempted to buy land from the natives, but the Indian concept of ownership and exchange of title was nothing like that of the Europeans. This difference led to misunderstandings which often resulted in conflict.

What were the requirements for Indians to survive the invasion?

Indians who survived the initial invasion were required to work and to accept Christianity. If they refused, they could be forced to comply. Many did resist and a system was devised to deal with them. It was known as the encomienda. Under this system Indians were regarded as part of the land: When land grants were made to settlers, the native inhabitants became a part of the grant. As property of the landowners, they could be forced to work without being technically enslaved. At the same time they were to be converted to Christianity by the local priests.

What was the pattern established in the sixteenth century?

One major feature of this policy was that it brought the whites and Indians together; it did not separate them. This, of course, led to intermingling and intermarrying and it soon produced a new class of people — the mestizos. Today, mestizos are the majority in most Latin American countries.

What was the purpose of the Requerimiento?

Written in Spanish or Latin, and thus unintelligible to the natives, Requerimiento was intended to inform them that they were about to become subjects of the Spanish Crown. If they submitted peacefully, all would be well, but if not, they would be attacked and enslaved.

What was the system of Indians being regarded as part of the land?

It was known as the encomienda. Under this system Indians were regarded as part of the land: When land grants were made to settlers, the native inhabitants became a part of the grant. As property of the landowners, they could be forced to work without being technically enslaved.

What was the mission system in the New World?

Beginning in the middle years of the sixteenth century, Spanish priests, with the support of the Crown, began to establish supervised communities in frontier areas . A few priests would go into an area, learn the local Indian dialect, and begin to preach the gospel. They would persuade the Indians to build a village, accept Christianity, and settle into a sedentary life. The process was extremely dangerous and sometimes the friars lost their lives; however, they often succeeded.

When did Christopher Columbus land on Hispaniola?

NATIVE AMERICANS, TREATMENT OF ( SPAIN VS. ENGLAND) (ISSUE) When Christopher Columbus landed on the island of Hispaniola in 1492, he met natives there. When this was reported to Queen Isabella of Spain, she immediately decreed that the natives (Indians as the Spanish would call them) were her subjects and were morally equal to all her other ...

How are Native Americans treated today?

Even today, the treatment of Native Americans by Caucasians is abysmal. Reservations, as an effect of many laws enacted by the U.S. government, have been relegated to poverty. According to the Atlantic, Native Americans have a rate of poverty of almost twice the national average, the highest of all racial groups in America. This is a problem that originates with the government, as they make it nearly impossible for those who live on reservations to move upward in society. To simply receive a permit for energy development on reservations, companies must go through at least four federal agencies and 49 steps, according to Forbes. By contrast, off reservation, it takes only four steps. In addition, legally speaking, tribes are not capable of owning or managing their lands. Forbes writes that the government is the legal owner of all land and assets on reservations, and, because of this, they cannot mortgage their assets for loans like other Americans. The government agencies in charge and the laws in place withhold economic growth from occurring on native reservations.

What are the three choices that Native Americans have been given?

Throughout history, natives have been given three dismal choices: assimilation, relocation, or genocide. The harsh reality of America’s history is the fact that the treatment of Native Americans is now and always has been grotesque.

What is the history of ethnic genocide?

Our history is one of ethnic genocide towards natives, and it has transgressed with the glorification of murder. The presidency of Andrew Jackson saw hundreds of atrocities by the government of Native Americans. Jackson’s Indian Removal Act of 1830 legalized and glorified ethnic cleansing.

What happened to the Pequot Indians?

Celebrating the beginning of their yearly corn harvest with their four-day long Green Corn Ceremony, the Pequot Indians were unsuspecting victims of a massacre. Early in the morning, members of the Massachusetts Bay Colony arrived and brutally murdered 700 unarmed tribal members, as stated by Huffington Post.

What was the first step in confining Indian tribes to small, impoverished reservations?

The events that followed contributed to the bleak future of the natives. In 1851, Congress passed the Indian Appropriation Act , the first step in officially confining tribes to small, impoverished reservations. Forced assimilation permitted by the Dawes Act did not bode well for the tribes, either.

Why is our nation born in genocide?

Print. “Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race.” -Martin Luther King Jr., Why We Can’t Wait. The introduction of a vast new land to the conquistadors and the explorers of the European world marked the end of culture for the indigenous peoples of America.

Did the Dawes Act force assimilation?

Forced assimilation permitted by the Dawes Act did not bode well for the tribes, either. Many tribes were a part of involuntary assimilation into white cultures: sorted into boarding schools that taught them to be the eurocentric definition of civilized.

What is the view of Native Americans and Europeans?

The Views of Native Americans and Europeans Essay. During the 16th and 17th centuries, when the Europeans started to come over to the new world, they discovered a society of Indians that was strikingly different to their own. To understand how different, one must first compare and contrast some of the very important differences between them, ...

What did the Europeans think of Indians?

The Europeans considered that they were model societies, and they thought that the Indians society and culture should be changed to be very similar to their own. The Europeans and the Indians had very contrasting ideas of personal wealth and ownership. The Europeans…show more content…. For Europeans, the to be a member of a family you had ...

How do Europeans and Native Americans compare?

Native Americans and European Compare/Contrast Essay Europeans lived a much more modern way of life than the primitive lifestyle of Native Americans. Europeans referred to themselves as “civilized” and regarded Native Americans as “savage,” “heathen,” or “barbarian.” Their interaction provoked by multiple differences led to misunderstanding and sometimes conflict. These two cultures, having been isolated from one another, exhibited an extensive variation in their ideals. Europeans

How did Native Americans and Europeans influence their outlook?

The Native Americans and Europeans had many influences that affected their outlook when they first encountered one another. These influences have different stories and views that pertain to the origin of life and how the earth was created. For example the Native Americans had stories that were passed down from generations that would be reshaped in different tellings. On the contrary the European Christians obtained their stories from books that had been written in earlier years such as the bible

What did Europeans call Native Americans?

Europeans referred to themselves as “civilized” and regarded Native Americans as “savage,” “heathen,” or “barbarian.”. Their interaction provoked by multiple differences led to misunderstanding and sometimes conflict.

What was the main job of women in Indian society?

The women's main job in Indian society, was being in charge of cultivation of, harvest of, and distribution of food. When the men left to go hunting, women were left to run society. The Europeans simply believed that the males were far superior to the family, which is why women could not have jobs, and were left to. Get Access.

Where did the Native Americans migrate from?

Native Americans migrated from Asia, crossing a land bridge where the Bering Strait off the coast of Alaska is today. Over the centuries these people spread throughout the continents of North and South America. Since the arrival of the Europeans in 1492 the American Indian has been dehumanized, decivilized and redefined into terms that

Who were the early explorers and colonizers of the New World?

us about the European designs upon the New World lands and peoples, and in what specific phrasings do they express those designs? Christopher Columbus and Samuel De Champlain as early explorers and colonizers to the New World have specific agendas for the lands. Columbus was the first to travel to the New World and when he was there he wrote about his plan for the lands and its people. Columbus begins by colonizing these new lands through force and coercion of the Native American people. This

What did Native Americans think of nature?

Native and Current Americans Perception of Nature Have you ever wondered what America was like before we got here? The Native Americans know, and they wrote many stories describing how they feel about nature. These writings show they worshipped nature greatly and never wanted to disturb it in any way. Then, the Europeans came and disrupted their whole way of life. The invaders, at the time, did not have much respect for the land around them, and the Native Americans did not like that. They thought

Why did the Europeans believe that the males were far superior to the family?

The Europeans simply believed that the males were far superior to the family, which is why women could not have jobs, and were left to only clean, cook, and various other household chores. Coming from an economic standpoint, the Europeans and Indians were such total opposites, it often led to misunderstanding.

What did Christopher Columbus discover?

Christopher Columbus discovered native people from North America and Captain James Cook discovered them from Hawaii. They both kept journals of their experiences so now we are able to look back and understand their first experiences with Natives. In Christopher Columbus’ journal of his first

Is reading history a romantic view?

However, the romantic view of reading history is more in line with the reality that all nonfiction literature is subject to the bias of those writing it. The romantic approach embraces what those fixated on their rationalist views try desperately to ignore, which is the fact that history is fundamentally a record of an

What did Columbus' journal entries about Native Americans reveal?

Columbus’ journal entries regarding Native Americans reveal the racism and paternalism that accompanied European contact with the Americas. Many Europeans looked at darker-skinned people as inferior in all kinds of ways—militarily, culturally, and religiously. They arrived in the Americas with the objective of extracting resources to enrich their home countries. They looked at the original inhabitants of the land through this prism as well. Columbus evaluated the people for their potential as laborers and considered them empty vessels to receive the language, culture, and Christianity of nations in Europe.

What did Columbus and the Europeans bring to the world?

Columbus and the Europeans who followed him brought diseases that ravaged the existing population, they violently confiscated vast swaths of land, and exploited Native American and African labor to enrich themselves and their European nations. Along with exploitative commerce, plagues of illness, and bloody wars, ...

Why did Columbus bring Native Americans back to Italy?

He intended to bring seven Native Americans back with him to Italy in order to learn the language of Europeans. Unless, of course, the king would simply rather hold them as captives and so they could be “subjugated and made to do what is required of them.” In other words, Columbus left the door open for his Italian patron to decree that Native Americans be made slaves and forced to work for their European enslavers.

Why did Columbus believe Native Americans would make good servants?

Columbus believed that Native Americans would make good servants because they seemed to grasp new information quickly.

What were the ideas of Columbus and his fellow Europeans?

Along with exploitative commerce, plagues of illness, and bloody wars, Columbus and his fellow Europeans also imported their ideas of racial superiority into relationships with Native Americans.

What did Columbus keep in his journal?

Columbus kept a journal of his travels and his impressions of the “New World.” An entry from October, 1492, just after his arrival in the Americas, reveals his racist and paternalistic views of Native Americans.

Why did Columbus insult Native Americans?

Furthermore, Columbus insulted Native Americans by presuming that because they did not practice Christianity, they had no religion whatsoever.

How did the Spanish exploit natives?

Spanish exploitation of native populations gradually moved westward, as the explorers continued their quest for silver, gold and other valuable natural resources. They continued their inhumane treatment of native populations in South America, and eventually moved north into North America. In addition to forcing the native populations into slavery, the Spanish explorers forced them to convert to Christianity. Those who resisted were punished by a system called encomienda, in which natives were assigned to settlers through land grants as part of a deal. When settlers claimed a piece of land, they were also given a group of natives with it. The natives forcibly worked the land by planting crops and mining for the landowners. This allowed the settlers to maintain control over the natives without enslaving them.

What was the treatment of Native Americans by the Spanish?

Spanish treatment of the Native Americans was poor. Spanish explorers considered the natives inferior. Consequently, they forcibly converted natives to Christianity, confined them to slavery and murdered them. In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the island of Hispaniola.

What did Christopher Columbus do to the natives?

The sailors were ordered to treat the natives humanely, and they were to be considered equal. The queen ordered the natives to be converted to Christianity and taught European behaviors. However, she did not authorize slavery. Columbus defied those orders, which eventually led to tensions between the explorers and the Spanish government.

What happened to the natives of the Caribbean after Columbus's landing?

In the 20 years following Columbus's landing on Hispaniola, Spanish explorers extended their reach to other Caribbean islands. Native populations in Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Cuba were also forced into slavery.

What was the first action that Columbus took?

After discovering the natives, one of the first actions Columbus took was enslaving them. He shipped hundreds of slaves back to Spain, which infuriated Queen Isabella, who demanded their return to Hispaniola. Columbus also forced native men to collect gold and return it to the sailors.

What did Columbus do to the natives?

Columbus also forced native men to collect gold and return it to the sailors. If the men did not reach their 90-day quota, they were punished by death. In addition to the unethical practices that the explorers launched against the natives, they also brought diseases with them from Europe.

Who was the priest who advocated for better treatment of the natives?

Believing that the Laws of Burgos were still too harsh, Bartolome de Las Casas, another priest, advocated for better treatment of the natives.

I. Introduction

II. Early Stereotypes

III. Revisionism and Representation

IV. Whitewashing

v. Native Filmmakers Taking Control

• A major reason why these indigenous voices are sparse in film is because Native filmmakers have traditionally been few and far between. White males have long dominated the film industry, and since they are at the creative helm, they have served their own interests, told their own stories, and been bound to popular commercial demands. Yet, Indian fi...

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