Iroquois Culture Essay - 854 Words

Iroquois Culture In order to fully understand and appreciate a culture different from one’s own, one must first have a grasp on ethnocentrism and how it can change thoughts and viewpoints. Ethnocentrism is a term used when someone is judging a culture’s ethics or way of life based upon his or her own belief structure or cultural values. Granted, being ethnocentric is not necessarily something to be ashamed of; everyone does it as a part of human nature. What one must realize, however, is that it can change one’s viewpoint to the point where another culture’s practices may seem barbaric. Ethnocentrism cannot be avoided. One simply must be aware that it happens and reflect upon it when it does occur. A few other problem areas†¦show more content†¦The Iroquois culture and the corresponding timeline can be crudely divided into two periods: life before contact with European settlers, and life after contact. The term â€Å"crudely† is used because blame for events that occur is not to be placed on the settlers. This division is also made because life for the Iroquois changed drastically after European contact. Iroquois nations found themselves competing for the goods the settlers offered. The settlers also brought with them diseases that the Iroquois had never been exposed to. Consequently, many nations suffered enormous losses simply because their bodies did not have immunity to these new diseases. One could say the Iroquois were enlightened by this new interaction with the settlers, but at what cost? In some Iroquois villages, nearly half the population was lost to disease. Much of what the settlers had to offer the Iroquois were merely luxuries. They had survived for centuries without them. The Iroquois were never a particularly peaceful culture from the settler’s standpoint. The settlers defined peace as an absence of war, while the Iroquois believed war was needed as a way to keep peace. The government structure served more as a guideline than law. It was not an alliance between the cultures. Many small battles arose, mostly vengeful acts. The Iroquois firmly believed no death was accidental;Show MoreRelatedEssay about The Iroquois 964 Words   |  4 PagesThe Iroquois Native Americans were the first people to live in America before any other man came. It is believed that the Native Americans came from Asia way back during the Ice Age through a land bridge of the Bering Strait. When the Europeans first set foot on America, there were about 10 million Native AmericansRead MoreIroquois : Native Life, Assimilation, And War1554 Words   |  7 PagesIroquois: Native Life, Assimilation, and War The Iroquois nations, one of the oldest and most prestigious tribes in the history of all Native Americans. 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