Texts written during the time of the settlement in America often include descriptions of Indian
tribes and Native Americans. In these descriptions the Indians are often called “Savages”
because of their outer appearance and their behaviour. But were those Indians really savages,
barbarians or devils? Were they as uncivilized as often described or are those images the
result of misunderstandings? Is it possible that they were more civilized than the White Men?
To answer these questions it is necessary to have a closer look on those texts, for example, the
texts of John Smith and Benjamin Franklin who build up different pictures of the Native
Americans and the White Men. Smith’s and Franklin’s texts have varying approaches and
backgrounds but both men had close contact to the Indians. Therefore their texts are good
basics to answer the questions in an objective way because their varying descriptions make it
possible to carefully consider the facts and opinions. Because both texts are subjective it is
also necessary to give some facts about Indian tribes and their ways of life. John Smith’s text
is about the Powhatan whereas Benjamin Franklin mostly writes about the Iroquois. Therefore
it is obvious to also consider facts about those tribes and not only refer to Smith and Franklin.
All these background information will help to clarify who “the real savages” are.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. John Smith
2.1 From The General History of Virginia […]
2.1.1 Image of the Native Americans
2.1.2 Image of the White Man
2.2 Explanations concerning Smith’s description
2.3 Conclusion
3. Benjamin Franklin
3.1 From Remarks concerning the Savages of North America
3.1.1 Image of the Native Americans
3.1.2 Image of the White Man
3.2 Irony and Explanation
3.3 Conclusion
4. Other Images of the Native Americans
4.1 American Indians – A General Overview
4.2 The Powhatan
4.3 The Iroquois
5. Conclusion – Who are the Real Savages?
Research Objective and Key Themes
The primary objective of this research is to critically analyze the construct of "savagery" as portrayed in the early colonial literature of John Smith and Benjamin Franklin, investigating whether the negative characterizations of Native Americans were based on objective reality or colonial prejudice. The study aims to deconstruct the binary opposition between "civilized" settlers and "savage" indigenous populations by contextualizing their cultural differences.
- The role of cultural misunderstanding in colonial literature.
- Comparative analysis of John Smith's Powhatan accounts and Benjamin Franklin's Iroquois observations.
- The impact of subjective bias on historical narratives and colonial identity.
- The ethnographic reality of the Powhatan and Iroquois tribes.
- Critique of the "savage" stereotype as a justification for colonial expansion.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1.1 Image of the Native Americans
Smith’s description of the Native Americans is ambivalent because it includes positive as well as negative characteristics. The text begins with a description of the settlers’ situation upon their arrival in Virginia where they start building up Jamestown. The journey to America is exhausting and many men die because of hunger and cold. They arrive in winter and “all [their] provision [is] spend” but they are lucky because the savages “[bring] such plenty of their fruits and provision as no men wanted” although it is said that God “changed the hearts of the savages”. This shows that the Natives are very hospitable because they welcome the strangers with food and do not let them starve but also that the settlers make God responsible for that luck, not the Natives. Smith also describes them as strange and different.
“Sixty or seventy of them, some black, some red, some white, some patricolored, came in a square order, singing and dancing out of the woods with their Okee (which was an idol made of skins, stuffed with moss, all painted and hung with chains and copper) borne before them, all in this manner, being well armed with clubs, targets, bows, arrows [...]”
Because of their lack of knowledge about the Powhatan they appear to Smith as “barbarians”. Nevertheless, the settlers do trade with the savages and the Natives who, on the other hand, “[sing] and [dance] in sign of friendship till they [depart]” which implies that the Natives are positive about the settlers. They do not attack the settlers but try to arrange themselves with the newly arrived strangers. But while being peaceful and hospitable on the one side, the Natives capture Smith while he is about to explore the country on his search for food. “Six or seven weeks those barbarians [keep] him prisoner [and] many strange triumphs and conjurations they [make] of him”. His imprisonment is described as being a torture because it seems as if they wanted to kill Smith for several times.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter defines the central research question regarding the classification of Native Americans as "savages" and introduces the methodology of comparing John Smith's and Benjamin Franklin's accounts.
2. John Smith: Examines Smith's 1624 report on Virginia, highlighting the ambivalent portrayal of the Powhatan tribe and the settlers' own struggles and cruelty.
3. Benjamin Franklin: Analyzes Franklin’s 1784 essay to show how he utilizes irony to contrast European social conventions with the perceived "savagery" of the Iroquois.
4. Other Images of the Native Americans: Provides a factual ethnographic overview of American Indian societies, specifically focusing on the social structures of the Powhatan and the Iroquois.
5. Conclusion – Who are the Real Savages?: Synthesizes the findings, arguing that the term "savage" is a construct of prejudice rather than an accurate description, suggesting that mutual misunderstanding fueled these stereotypes.
Keywords
Native Americans, John Smith, Benjamin Franklin, Savagery, Colonialism, Powhatan, Iroquois, Stereotypes, Cultural Misunderstanding, Ethnography, Jamestown, Civility, Prejudice, Colonial History, Indigenous Tribes
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the historical construction of the "savage" image applied to Native Americans by early European settlers, specifically through the writings of John Smith and Benjamin Franklin.
Which specific Native American tribes are examined?
The research focuses primarily on the Powhatan tribe, as depicted by John Smith, and the Iroquois, as observed by Benjamin Franklin.
What is the primary research objective?
The goal is to determine if the indigenous peoples were truly "uncivilized" as described in colonial texts, or if these accounts were the product of cultural misunderstandings and subjective bias.
Which scientific methodology is applied in the paper?
The author uses a comparative literary analysis of historical texts combined with anthropological and historical data to contextualize the behavior and social structures of the tribes mentioned.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body breaks down the individual depictions of Native Americans and white settlers in the works of Smith and Franklin, follows with historical context regarding the Powhatan and Iroquois, and addresses the "real" nature of savagery.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as colonial history, cultural stereotypes, ethnographic analysis, and the critical deconstruction of "civilized" versus "savage" dichotomies.
How does Benjamin Franklin's approach differ from John Smith's?
Franklin utilizes irony and humor to challenge the definition of civility, whereas Smith's account is a more direct, albeit ambivalent, report based on his personal experiences as a settler.
Why are the "Paxton Men" mentioned in the context of Franklin's work?
The Paxton Men are used to illustrate the extreme brutality of settlers, which serves as a counterpoint to the image of "civilized" white men and reinforces Franklin's critique of colonial behavior.
- Citar trabajo
- Jessica Narloch (Autor), 2006, White Men or Native Americans - Who are the Real Savages?, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/186299
