Question

European colonists witnessed and wrote about the devastating effects of smallpox on American Indian populations. Following are two descriptions by English colonial leaders in North America during the seventeenth century:

"For the natives, they are near all dead of smallpox, so as the Lord hathe [has] cleared our title to what we possess."
—John Winthrop, first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony

"[Thank God for sending] smallpox, etc. to lessen their numbers: so that the English, in comparison with the Spaniard, have but little Indian blood to answer for."
—John Archdale, governor of South Carolina, 1695–1696

What do these quotations tell you about English attitudes toward American Indians?

Answer 1

Answer:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.  Published in 2007, and winner of the National Book Award, Sherman Alexie’s coming-of-age novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian gives readers insight into life on an Indian reservation. Alexie calls his gritty, dark novel “reservation realism.” The protagonist, Arnold Spirit, Jr., deals with abuse, bullying, poverty, alcoholism, and senseless violence; however, his humor and spirit remain hopeful. Junior leaves the reservation in search of a better education and a way out of his oppressive life, ultimately finding a new identity. This primary source set includes photographs, text documents, and interviews with Sherman Alexie that provide context for thematic elements within The Absolutely True-Diary of Part-Time Indian. Courtesy of the Digital Public Library of America.

Explanation:

Answer 2

Answer:

The quotations show that the English did not see the spread of smallpox as a bad development. On the contrary, they were delighted by this turn of events. The English military in the Americas, in fact, helped spread the disease. Some English commanders urged their troops to try to spread smallpox by giving infected blankets to the Indians. Because smallpox and other diseases wiped out millions, the English were able to capture territories once controlled by American Indians.

Explanation: Plato