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1、LONGBEFOREthewhitemansetfootonAmericansoil,theAmericanIndians,orrathertheNativeAmericans,hadbeenlivinginAmerica.WhentheEuropeanscamehere,therewereprobablyabout10millionIndianspopulatingAmericanorthofpresent-dayMexico.AndtheyhadbeenlivinginAmericaforquitesometime.Itisbelievedthatth
2、efirstNativeAmericansarrivedduringthelastice-age,approximately20,000-30,000yearsagothroughaland-bridgeacrosstheBeringSound,fromnortheasternSiberiaintoAlaska.TheoldestdocumentedIndianculturesinNorthAmericaareSandia(15000BC),Clovis(12000BC)andFolsom(8000BC)Althoughitisbelievedthatth
3、eIndiansoriginatedinAsia,fewifanyofthemcamefromIndia.Thename"Indian"wasfirstappliedtothembyChristopherColumbus,whobelievedmistakenlythatthemainlandandislandsofAmericawerepartoftheIndies,inAsia.So,whentheEuropeansstartedtoarriveinthe16th-and17th-centurytheyweremetbyNativeAmericans,
4、andenthusiasticallyso.TheNativesregardedtheirwhite-complexionedvisitorsassomethingofamarvel,notonlyfortheiroutlandishdressandbeardsandwingedshipsbutevenmorefortheirwonderfultechnology-steelknivesandswords,fire-belchingarquebusandcannon,mirrors,hawkbellsandearrings,copperandbrasske
5、ttles,andsoon.However,conflictseventuallyarose.Asastarter,thearrivingEuropeansseemedattunedtoanotherworld,theyappearedtobeoblivioustotherhythmsandspiritofnature.NaturetotheEuropeans-andtheIndiansdetectedthis-wassomethingofanobstacle,evenanenemy.Itwasalsoacommodity:Aforestwassomany
6、boardfeetoftimber,abeavercolonysomanypelts,aherdofbuffalosomanyrobesandtongues.EventheIndiansthemselveswerearesource-soulsripefortheJesuit,Dominican,orPuritanplucking.ItwastheEuropeans'culturalarrogance,coupledwiththeirmaterialisticviewofthelandanditsanimalandplantbeings,thattheIn
7、diansfoundrepellent.Europeans,insum,wereregardedassomethingmechanical-soullesscreatureswhowieldeddiabolicallyingenioustoolsandweaponstoaccomplishmadends.TheEuropeansbroughtwiththemnotonlyadesireandwilltoconquerthenewcontinentforallitsmaterialrichness,buttheyalsobroughtwiththemdise
8、asesthathittheIndianshard.Conflic
