. The student's American history . them to slavery, — as they did in the WestIndies. That would have struck a serious blow at the habitsof personal industry and of self-help acquired by the colonists. The fact that the Red Man was intractable, independent,and fond of fighting prevented the great body of settlers fromspreading rapidly over the country. It compelled them to livein a tolerably compact line along the coast, made them vigilant,exercised them in the art of war, and made union for self-defence a necessity. When later the English settlers had tofight the Canadian French, this training
. The student's American history . them to slavery, — as they did in the WestIndies. That would have struck a serious blow at the habitsof personal industry and of self-help acquired by the colonists. The fact that the Red Man was intractable, independent,and fond of fighting prevented the great body of settlers fromspreading rapidly over the country. It compelled them to livein a tolerably compact line along the coast, made them vigilant,exercised them in the art of war, and made union for self-defence a necessity. When later the English settlers had tofight the Canadian French, this training in arms, which con-flicts with Indans had forced upon them, came into effectiveplay and had decisive results on the future of America. 28. The indebtedness of the colonists to the Indians forfood and clothing. —? The relations in which the aboriginesstood to the colonists as friends or enemies had importanteconomic results. The first and greatest need of the colonistswas an abundant supply of food. The chief American cereal. INDIAN TRIBES. 1492-.] EXPLORING AND COLONIZING AMERICA. 21 was Indian corn. It did not grow in Europe, and no English-man ever saw a field of it before coming to this country. TheRed Men taught the Virginia settlers how to raise corn in anuncleared forest by simply girdling the trees and so letting thesunlight in. In Plymouth the Indians showed the Pilgrimshow to make their corn grow by putting a fish, as a fertilizerin every hill. They showed them, too, how to make maplesugar, and how to spear fish through the ice in winter andpack them in snow till wanted; that was the Indians coldstorage system. From them, too, the settlers learned to tan deer-skins forclothing, to make moccasins, snow-shoes, and birch-bark canoes— all articles of indispensable use in the American wilderness. 29. Value of wampum; Indian labor ; trade with theIndians. — Next to food and clothing one of the greatest wantsfelt by the colonists was some medium of exchange for carry
Size: 1292px × 1934px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidstudentsamerican01mont
