Indian Morality Clash: Composition, Attitude and Impact on Colonization in Seventeen-Century New England

Abstract

This essay addresses three key questions: firstly, what were the distinctive moral standards of indigenous peoples in the seventeenth century? Secondly, how did the attitudes of the English colonists towards these standards evolve? Thirdly, what role did the moral standards of indigenous peoples play in the lives of the English colonists? Based on an extensive review of primary historical sources and a synthesis of the findings of previous scholars, the author posits that Indian morality, which is typified by its primitivism, lack of education, and sexual openness, exerted a profound influence on the English colonists' activities in the New World. The author further suggests that the English colonists' attitudes towards Indian morality underwent a significant transformation, shifting from initial tolerance and conservatism to a later stage of abhorrence and intolerance. The author attributes this shift primarily to changes in the manner by which the English exploited the colonies. By disseminating a negative moral image of the indigenous population, the colonists were able to justify their colonial exploitation and reinforce their sense of identity.