How did the natives react to Christianity?

Those who called themselves Christian often chose a lonely path, for they were frequently harassed and persecuted by their own people and betrayed by their white “brothers.” The dilemma for native Christians was evident in an anecdote attributed to the Fox tribe: Once there was an Indian who became a Christian.

Why did natives convert to Christianity?

It was automatically assumed that they were inferior and therefore their spirituality and traditions were worthless. They took from the indigenous people the tools to survive and cast aside all others. If they converted to Christianity they would be saved and much more, they would be civilized.

When did Native Americans first interact?

Caribbean. The first lasting contact between indigenous Americans and Europeans came as Arawak, Taino, and Lucayan peoples encountered the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus and his Spanish ships.

How did Native Americans view Christianity?

Native American religions, like the African ones brought by the slaves, were generally inclusivist, open to the addition of new religious experiences, stories, or visions. Thus many Indians found it possible to “accept” Christianity without actually relinquishing their own beliefs.

What religion did the natives believe in?

Early European explorers describe individual Native American tribes and even small bands as each having their own religious practices. Theology may be monotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistic, animistic, shamanistic, pantheistic or any combination thereof, among others.

How many Native American tribes were there in 1492?

The People. In 1492 the native population of North America north of the Rio Grande was seven million to ten million. These people grouped themselves into approximately six hundred tribes and spoke diverse dialects. European colonists initially encountered Native Americans in three distinct regions.

What is the relationship between Native American religion and colonization?

The religious encounter of Christian missionaries and Native peoples cannot be separated from the progressive seizure and settlement of tribal territories by European colonists. Through most of American history, however, there has been little recognition of the distinctively religious claims of Native peoples to the land and its sacred sites.

How many Native American religions were there in the nineteenth century?

Religious Diversity. There were more than three hundred Native American tribes in the United States in the nineteenth century, and each had a distinct culture with its own religious beliefs and practices. Because of this diversity it is difficult to provide a single accurate description of Native American religion.

Can Indians accept Christianity without giving up their own beliefs?

Thus many Indians found it possible to “ accept ” Christianity without actually relinquishing their own beliefs. Much to the frustration of the missionaries, however, most Indians were uninterested in the fine points of doctrine. Many found original sin and the fall of man to be particularly odd concepts.

How did the English try to influence Native American religion?

The English took their religion very seriously and thought that if they converted the Indians it would be doing them good. They tried to influence Native American religious culture with their strict European ways. Pocahontas was the key to a critical relationship between the dominant Native American tribe the Powhatans, and the English settlers.