Film Paper #1

Though typically believed to have harmed the Native Americans and helped the Europeans, Europe's portmanteau biota (animals, plants, and diseases brought with humans to the New World) sometimes aided the Indians and sometimes hurt the Europeans. Classically, American history was white history - basically European = "good." However, minority movements of the late 20th century have challenged this idea and given rise to a more diverse interpretation of history. But, I think that sometimes this movement goes a little too far, occasionally saying everything the Europeans did was "bad" and everything done in their opposition was "good." The two films made me realize that this debate is beginning to come full circle; sometimes European contact had positive effects on the Natives and occasionally the Europeans hindered themselves.

As shown in "The Columbian Exchange," the horses brought over by the Europeans, as part of their portmanteau biota, actually benefited that Plains Indians. With horses, the Indians could move quickly, attack from an elevated position, and more easily herd the buffalo. Because of these consequences, the European horse gave the Indians mastery over their environment. With less time needed to hunt, the Plains Indians were able to spend more time on their cultural reproduction (social growth): art, religion, crafts, and music, for example. Thus, the introduction of the European horse inadvertently helped develop the culture of the Plains Indians.

Depicted in "Confronting the Wilderness," the French/Indian fur trade highlights the negative consequences the Europeans' biota had for themselves and the positive effects European contact had on some Indian tribes. Initially, the transfer of beaver pelts from the Huron Indians to French traders helped the Huron become a powerful nation. To foster goodwill, the French often traded for furs they did not need - beaver furs were purchased when the market was glutted and otter pelts were bought though they were used for little more than trimmings. Though the fur trade had damaging effects on the environment, it initially helped boost the Huron into the spotlight as a great Indian power.

Even although the French did not actually get sick, they hurt themselves with the diseases of their portmanteau biota. Once weakened by the Frenchmen's diseases (mostly smallpox), the Huron nation was conquered by their rivals. With the fall of the Huron, the French quickly lost their dominance in the fur trade and this allowed for English rule of the region (at least economically). The English began trading heavily with the Cree Indians and eventually were able to establish a stronghold at Hudson Bay. Thus, while it may have given other Europeans advantages in the Americas, the French in the northwest actually lost their chance to have a great empire because of their portmanteau biota.