Question

7. Read the paragraph and choose a sentence that describes it best. People have considered the possibility that the missing colonists could have assimilated into nearby Native American tribes since at least 1605. If this integration was successful, the assimilated colonists would gradually exhaust their European supplies (ammunition, clothing) and discard European culture (language, style of dress, agriculture) as Algonquian lifestyle became more convenient. Colonial era Europeans observed that many people removed from European society by Native Americans for substantial periods of time—even if captured or enslaved—were reluctant to return; the reverse was seldom true. Therefore, it is reasonable to postulate that, if the colonists were assimilated, they or their descendants would not seek reintegration with subsequent English settlers.

a) The English colonists most certainly assimilated into Native American tribes, leaving their culture behind
b) The Native American culture is superior to English, as a little few Englishmen returned once assimilated
c) The English colonists assimilated with the Native Americans because their supplies of clothes, ammunition etc., exhausted
d) Once integrated into another culture, assimilated people feel disdain to their roots.

Answer 1

The paragraph explores the possibility that English colonists may have assimilated into Native American tribes, with particular attention to how cultural integration potentially influenced colonists' preferences and practices. The correct option is a) The English colonists most certainly assimilated into Native American tribes, leaving their culture behind.

Step-by-step explanation:

The paragraph suggests that English colonists could have assimilated into nearby Native American tribes after their European supplies were exhausted and their European cultural practices became less practical compared to those of the Algonquian. This assimilation would likely have involved a gradual adoption of Native American language, dress, and agricultural practices.

Historically, such assimilation was not uncommon in colonial contexts where cultural blending often occurred through interactions and the exchange of goods and ideas. Furthermore, the reluctance of assimilated individuals to return to European society despite having the opportunity supports the idea that once integrated into another culture, people might resist reverting to their previous way of life.

None of the given answers, however, fully capture the complexity or the neutrality of the paragraph. Hence, an appropriate summary could be "There is historical evidence to suggest that English colonists may have assimilated into Native American tribes, gradually adopting local customs and lifestyles."