QUESTIONS ON ALAN TAYLOR’S “CANADA AND IROQUOIA, 1500 – 1650”
(assignment 13)

Readings available on electronic reserves

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hussein_sa_13.doc

THIS IS ASSIGNMENT 13

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Question 1, 3, and 10 require synthesizing information from several pages; moreover, these questions should be considered "long answer" questions and will require more writing.

1) Ethno-centric French traders in the 17th century, as Taylor notes, often liked to think of the Native Americans they encountered as “perpetual children.” Today, romantic visions of the Native American past often portray Indians as equally helpless. For example, such visions of Indians often suggest that they could not control their desires for the material goods and alcohol that came with the Europeans.

What evidence does Taylor present that debunks (that is, proves wrong) both of these remarkably similar conceptions (the 17th century ethnocentric & 21st century romantic) of helpless native peoples?

Be specific and provide examples.

(to be clear: Taylor does not think either of these two similar conceptions of Native Americans is accurate)

(30 points)

 

2) How did Native and French visions of the relationship between trade and diplomacy differ? USE YOUR OWN WORDS

(4 points)

3) (3 part question)Taylor writes on p. 98 that for many native groups, “market incentives overwhelmed the inhibitions of animism.”

Carefully explain what Taylor means by:

(3A) “inhibitions of animism” DO NOT SIMPLY DEFINE "INHIBITIONS" OR "ANIMISM." CLEARLY SPECIFY WHAT THE PHRASE MEANS IN THIS CONTEXT -- explain to me which actions by whom got inhibited by what ideas and why? USE YOUR OWN WORDS ( in·hib·it, vt to stop something from continuing or developing)

(3B) “market incentives” Again, don't just define the words -- clearly specify what the phrase means in this particular context. Being specific here requires specifying which incentives for whom produced by which market for which goods. USE YOUR OWN WORDS

(3C) Thinking about your answers above, carefully explain how and why “market incentives” overwhelmed “inhibitions of animism." Be specific and provide examples. USE YOUR OWN WORDS

(15 points)

 

4) What had the Hurons done in their own territory that encouraged them to stop being hunters of beaver and become instead the commercial middle-men of beaver pelts in the North East? USE YOUR OWN WORDS

(5 points)

5 ) What social role did torture play among the Five Nations? USE YOUR OWN WORDS

(4 points)


6) In the mid-17th century the Iroquois attacked their neighbors with warfare -- as Taylor notes -- of "nearly genocidal proportions." Taylor, in contrast to some historians, doesn't think these wars are best described as "Beaver Wars," but rather prefers the term "Mourning Wars." Why does Taylor think "Mourning Wars" is the more accurate phrase than "Beaver Wars"? Be specific and provide examples. USE YOUR OWN WORDS

(10 points)

7) Why did commercial incentives mean that both the French and the Iroquois were unwilling to make peace with each other? USE YOUR OWN WORDS

( 5 points)

8) Is it accurate to describe Europeans in this part of the New World during this period as racist? Why or Why not? USE YOUR OWN WORDS

(8 points)



9) Why did the particular form Christianity practiced by the Jesuits make it easier for the “Black Robes” to integrate themselves into Native society than it was for Protestant Ministers? READ CAREFULLY!!! DO NOT CONFUSE THE JESUITS' PREDECESSORS IN THE NEW WORLD WITH THE PROTESTANTS. USE YOUR OWN WORDS

(5 points)

10) The Jesuits demands of "cultural concessions" (such as ending the torture rituals) from the Hurons undermined unity in Huronia; why didn't the Hurons simply expel the troublesome French? (A helpful hint: pay close attention to the readings on the topic of threats to cultural unity in Huronia; this information will help you in an upcoming extra-credit assignment) USE YOUR OWN WORDS

(14 points)



"end of assignment"