Choctaw and Southeast Nations’ Multidimensional Colonial Relations

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Table of Contents

Introduction
The Geopolitical Environment
Economic Changes in Choctaw
Cultural Effects of the Americans to Choctaw and the Northeast Nation
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The native communities of the southeastern nations that includes, the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Creek had their own cultural believes which were Indian in nature, However the coming of the American colonialists changed their life bit by bit making their political, social cultural, religious and economic lifestyle to be changed completely. The Chickasaw was one of the Northeastern nations whose people’s way of life was greatly influenced by the American colonialism and though they did collaborated with the American constitution, they only did so in order to protect their cultural and political status. With time however this social political cultures were changed without their consent.

The influence of the western colonizers on the culture of the Chickasaw came through many dimensions including the multidimensional cultures that existed between the other Northeastern nations as well as the exchange of cultures between the colonized and the colonizer.

The Geopolitical Environment

Geopolitics is the study of the political relationships existing between one or more nations. The Americas political systems which were capitalists brought about a number of changes in the natives way of life including their religion and cultural believes. The natives believed that the world we live in is full of troubles and the only better place is the world we shall meet Jesus. They therefore did not believe in exploitation of resources which they experienced with the Americans. The Choctaws was one of the most civilized nations among the Southeastern nations and the American president Jackson ordered Choctaws to be removed from its territory leaving the other three nations under the American territory.

The main aim of removing Choctaws from this territory was to safeguard its rights, political autonomy as well as their valuable land. In the same line the Choctaws established an autonomous independent political system. The removal of the Choctaws territory led to other nations in the southeast to also remove their territories. They were also forced to change their political structures as well as cultures, that is kinship relations although the Chickasaw was a bit rigid in changing its political style which differed greatly from the other nations.

These changes were not readily accepted to the Northeast nations and faced great opposition from the natives who found it hard to change from their root culture to follow the American constitution. A large number however succumbed to the pressures exerted on them by the United States to adopt this new culture for them to survive in the territories.

The Choctaws were easily flexible to the other northeast nation cultures so that they could fit with business with the rest of the nations but the others were not that ready to conform with the changes and did stick with their believes of strong hold Christian stands.

The communities in Choctaw nation followed priests’ advice and when they were told that the European missionaries were a gift from God, they accepted and softened their hearts which led their political powers to be withdrawn from them by the colonizers. A disease swept across the Choctaw and killed most of the elderly that had the community’s culture and knowledge of historic events. As a result the Choctaw was left without a reference point which forced the Choctaw to fully follow the Christian doctrine. The adoption of Christianity meant that their cultural believes, moral values and other things took a new dimension and they had a new life altogether.

In the recent periods, the American constitution seems to highly acknowledge the Natives institutional organizations of culture, social, religious and political structures which was not the case before the 20^th century.

Economic Changes in Choctaw

The fur trade that existed in the Choctaw community was due to believe that land was sacred and hence could not be cultivated. For this reason the Choctaw only hunted animals for food and exchanged fur for European goods. This trade made the natives to be marginalized especially with the coming of cotton trade that rendered fur trade less competitive due to the establishment of textile industries that made their fur useless.

The Choctaw opted to trade with the French in order to make business. They exchanged deerskin and fur for European products and military weapons in order ton strengthen their political powers. The Choctaw hence exploited the animal resources to meet the high demand for skin and fur. This risked their source of food forcing them to owe European nation for they needed money for food. The fur trade went on a decline making the cotton market to rise rapidly.

Choctaw cultivated more cotton with the aid of black slaves leading to high level of civilization among the Choctaw as compared to the other Northeast nations. The Chickasaw on the other hand started cultivating cotton and growing maize and rearing of cattle for milk. These change in economic activities led to emergency of a new class of the Bourgeoisie who are the capital owners’ joining the trend in the other Northeast nations of Choctaw, Creek and Cherokee in classification of the society into two classes, the capital owners and the laborers.

However these changes did not affect everybody in the native nation since some resisted to market changes and decided to stick to their cultural believes though the majority engaged in trade to gain wealth. These two different classes created some conflict since it was against the communities believe of exploitation of resources.

Cultural Effects of the Americans to Choctaw and the Northeast Nation

The America domination in the Northeast nations, they were forced to adapt to the new American cultures of Christianity, capitalism, English language in order to fully be able to carry out business with the United States. The colonization made the Choctaw to have different perception regarding to gender which was mainly through the adoption of Christianity. Before the coming of Christianity the Choctaw and the other Northeast nations had no gender discrimination over women but from Christian teachings the role of women in the society was greatly affected with women becoming more subordinated. Women became house hold and men chauvinism in business dominated.

Conclusion

The American pressure on the Choctaw and the entire Southeast countries greatly influenced their lifestyle both in business and in social political structures, the learning of English among the Choctaw became common and their culture changed with the majority educating their children both girls and boys to make them ready to conduct business with Europe and America as they adopted Capitalist ideology.

References

Hintez, O. (1975), Economics and Politics in the Age of Modern Capitalism, New York: New York Press. pp. 112-147.

Perry, R. (1993), Indigenous people and the American state, New York: University of Texas. pp. 123-148.

Rawlinson, G. (1993), Ancient history, New York: Bannes. pp. 34-67.

Pomerscheim, F. (1995), American Indian Law and the Contemporary Tribal Life, Berkeley: University of California. pp. 65-89.

Scocpol, T. (1997). States and Revolution New York: New York Press. pp. 23-54.

Information on multidimensional colonial relations among Choctaw and the southeast nations. Web.

Click Here To Order Now!