Final answer:
The conflicts between Native American beliefs and Puritan beliefs stemmed from different religious views and approaches to the natural environment, combined with Puritans' expansionist goals and efforts to convert Native populations. Differing attitudes toward nature, where Puritans saw chaos and Native Americans saw sacredness, exacerbated these tensions, leading to significant historical conflicts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fundamental conflicts between Native American beliefs and Puritan beliefs likely evolved from differing views on religion, land, and the natural environment. While Puritans sought to convert Native Americans to their version of Christianity and establish settlements like Massachusetts as a 'city on a hill' - a holy beacon and model for Christian utopia, they also viewed wild, natural places with distrust, believing such areas to be chaotic and influenced by Satan.
In stark contrast, many Native American cultures held deep spiritual connections to the natural world, viewing it as sacred and integral to their ways of life. Moreover, the aggressive expansion of Puritan settlements and the imposition of European ways and Christianity significantly disrupted native life, leading to strains and conflicts such as King Philip's War.
Even within Native American communities, there were divisions, as seen when the Narragansett and Mohegan tribes allied with Puritans against the Pequot. The reasons for this could be complex, including political strategy, intertribal rivalries, or calculated moves to preserve power and influence amidst the changing dynamics brought on by European colonization.
The Puritans' attitude towards nature and expansion, strongly influenced by their religious beliefs, often clashed with Native American cultures, which were more harmonious with and reverent of the natural world. This divergence in worldview created a fertile ground for conflict between the two groups.