Wednesday, April 24, 2013

What were the benefits of exploration to the natives?

I assume after reading your question that you are referring to European explorers and Native Americans.  For the most part, the impact of European explorers on the Native American population was a negative one.  Europeans brought unfamiliar diseases, took over land, and cultivated areas for farmland that were once used for hunting and fishing.  However, there were some benefits as well.  Some tribes benefited more than others.


Europeans often traded with the natives.  They brought them goods that they would otherwise not have access to, such as tools and weapons.  Things like steel knives and axes were traded.  Previously, Native Americans had to make tools out of bone, stone, or wood.  Weapons such as guns were also traded.  This gave some tribes the upper hand in battle against other tribes.


Some Europeans, such as the Quakers, were peaceful neighbors to the Native Americans.  They treated them with kindness and charity when needed.  When the Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth, they befriended the natives.

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