Ceremonies of Possession: Comparing Spanish, French, and English Imperialism

Ceremonies of Possession: Comparing Spanish, French, and English Imperialism SRVHS US History Mr. Davis

I. Introduction: War Against the Beavers A. The Cultural Explanation • Historian Calvin Martin argues that as tribes like the Micmac were influenced by Europeans, their culture began to break down.

European disease swept through Micmac society like a fire storm. • Traditional attempts at medicine and spiritual healing failed.

Some Micmac began to believe that their spirit friends, especially the beaver spirits, had turned against them, and had in fact declared war on the Micmac.

The Micmac retaliated by declaring war on the beaver, abandoning their taboos against killing pregnant beavers and that maintained a large beaver population.

The beaver population plummeted, leading to a near extinction of the species in the Micmacs’ hunting area.

B. The Materialist Explanation • Other historians argue that the reason for the near extinction of the beavers was that the Indians were responding to market forces.

A fad in Europe of beaver skin hats produced a strong demand, and European traders were willing to offer high prices for beaver skins.

The Micmac particularly desired copper kettles, cotton blankets, and steel hatchets, which were more effective than native technologies.

The Micmac responded as any people would: they supplied as many beaver skins as the Europeans were willing to buy. • The guns that the Europeans provided helped increase the Indians’ productivity, leading to the near extermination of the beaver.

C. What does it matter? • However, whatever the cause, Micmac economic and cultural systems were radically transformed by encounter with the Europeans.

II. The Requirement: Spanish Justification • Upon arrival in a new land, Spanish explorers and conquistadores read a legal document to the natives called the Requirement.

Spanish Goals • The Spanish sought: • 1. Conversion of the Indians to Christianity • 2. Resources (especially precious metals) • 3. Labor for the Spanish encomienda system Spanish imperialism might be called extractive

Spanish Goals • The Spanish were not particularly concerned with • Land ownership • Trade

II. Theatrical Rituals: French Political Possession • The French staged elaborate ceremonies upon their encounter with new Indian groups, rituals in which the Indians played a central role.

A. Consent: “Conquest by Love” • It was important to the French that the Indians themselves perform the rituals: • “After they themselves had placed the cross as a sign that they desired to be children of God, they likewise planted with the French the arms and standards of France in the middle of their land so that it be recognized among all other nations, that our most Christian king is the sovereign master and peaceable possessor.”

B. Alliance • Consent paved the way for the specific political relationship that Frenchmen envisioned themselves creating with natives, namely, an “alliance.” • Alliance did not mean parity (the French were clearly the ones with power) • But it did ensure mutual obligation, particularly protection in exchange for trade and allegiance.

French Goals • The French desired: • 1. Trade • 2. Indian conversion to Christianity • 3. Limited amounts of land upon which to farm The French were primarily a trading empire.

French Goals • The French did not particularly desire: • Slave labor • Large tracts of land • Gold or silver (since it was nonexistent)

IV. Houses, Gardens, and Fences: Signs of English Possession • “On the 15. of December, they [the Pilgrims] wayed [weighed] anchor to goe to the place they had discovered…And afterwards tooke better view of the place, and resolved where to pitch their dwelling; and on the 25 day begane to erect the first house for common use to receive them and their goods.”

The English literally staked their claim to the land by building fences, planting gardens, and erecting buildings that showed their exclusive ownership. • No ceremony was necessary: construction created the right of possession

The English claimed that the Indians had no right to land because they had not obeyed Scripture: • Genesis 1:28: “God and his Reason commanded him to subdue the Earth…He that in Obedience to this Command of God, subdued, tilled and sowed any part of it, thereby annexed to it something that was his Property.”

English Goals • The English primarily came to the New World for • 1. Land • 2. Work • 3. Agricultural products (sugar, tobacco, wheat, timber) Of the three empires, the English can best be called a settlement empire: they desired to live in the New World.

English Goals • The English were not particularly interested in • 1. Conversion of the Indians (some believed it impossible; nature of Calvinism) • 2. Precious metals (Jamestown conquistadores) • 3. Indian slaves

Ceremonies of Possession: Comparing Spanish, French, and English Imperialism