In what ways did European exploration help or hurt the Native Americans?

Question: In what ways did European exploration help or hurt the Native Americans!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

help-brought horses
hurt-brought diseases like syphilis,pushed natives off their lands,broke promises such as promises not to make forts along the bozeman trail,they also tried to convert natives to Christianity and tried to spread white culture and even brought native americans to washington dc to show what it's like to live like themWww@QuestionHome@Com

The European exploration offered trade for goods never before available which made life easier and raised the standard of living!. In many respects first contact was often good for both Europeans and Native Americans!. (Though not always!.!.!.) At first, many Europeans respected and learned from the Native Americans - wearing animal skins, getting around by canoe, etc, making treaties!.

In many cases, the europeans allied themselves in wars between Native American Nations!. This was good or bad, depending which side you were one!.

However, as above posters indicated, eventually Europeans began to push their ways on the Native Americans, especially concerning religion and work!. European diseases wiped out many as well as brought previously unheard of diseases like VD!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The English also (playing off the first responder) viewed land uncleared and uncultivated as land gone to waste, never mind that it was someones hunting ground!. As more and more people emigrated from England to the colonies, the established communities became over crowded and s they began pushing westward!. With that movement, they continuously displaced the Native Indians by taking their hunting ground!.

The French were not so interested in clearing land!. They would build their forts along the rivers and waterways that would allow them to move their pelts and fish to open water making their way back to France!. Because they did not clear the land, the Native Indians, liked the French far more than the English!.

And when it came to religious indoctrination, the English (Protestants) absolutely demanded that the Native Indians learn to read and give up their own beliefs and practices to gain "salvation!." The French (Catholics), did not make such demands, rather, they simply asked that the Native Indians hear the word and incorporate some of Christianity into their own belief systems!.Www@QuestionHome@Com