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The meeting of two cultures is always a tricky situation. In the case of the Pilgrims and the Native Americans, both had predisposed opinions of the other before they ever met.

The Pilgrims had heard horror stories from sailors and the few survivors of the failed attempts of earlier colonies. When the Pilgrims landed on the coast of the New World, the Natives stayed away from them for a while. While the newcomers where exploring the new land and looking for a place to start the the new settlement they stumbled upon both grave sites and a deserted village. From this they took things that they thought they may need. Corn especially, because they weren't sure if the European grains that they had brought would grow in the new climate. It was a good idea; unfortunately, it was also desecrating a grave site. This is not the best way to start a new relationship. In one instance, they where planning on leaving some things for what they took, beads and trinkets. They were pressed for time and forgot. It is a small detail, but it may have helped with future relations had they left the gifts for items taken.

The Native Americans for their part had already had dealings with these white men that came from the sea on "floating islands". They had been decimated by diseases such as small pox. Many tribes had experienced the realization of slavery. Ships would come and kidnap people to sell them into slavery farther south in the Caribbean. One of the Native Americans that had a similar thing happen was Squanto. He actually ended up helping the colonists. Without his help, they may not have made it.

Because both sides were scared (and ignorant) of the others' culture, many of the first meetings did not go well. The Europeans would use their firearms to shoot at the Natives. The Native Americans would do the same kind of thing to these trespassers to their home. The would attack them with the weapons they had, in this case it was the bow and arrow (in many cases the Native Americans would come out on top, they used their weapons on a regular basis, where the Pilgrims weren't soldiers at all).

Luckily for the Pilgrims, there were Native Americans that would come to their aid. Without that help the settlement at Plymouth would have surely failed. There were other tribes that never did get along with the newcomers. There was an almost constant state of warfare with these "hostile" natives. The Native Americans didn't want these new people taking over the land that they lived on. This would be a reoccurring theme for the next 250 years in American history.

Even with the best intentions, and out of absolute need, taking the corn that belonged to the Native Americans would in a way define the relationships that existed between the Native American and the white man for a very long time.

Learn more about this author, T. Scott Randolph.
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