Final answer:
English colonists demanded land, labor, and cultural assimilation from Native Americans, leading to conflicts and misunderstandings due to contrasting cultural norms, land ownership views, and justice systems. Wars and the enslavement of Native peoples for labor were common, with the growing tobacco economy fueling these practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Demands Placed on Native Americans by English Colonists
Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the English colonists placed multiple demands and pressures on Native Americans. These ranged from usurpation of land to attempts at enslavement. Colonists saw Native American land as available for taking, due to different cultural understandings of land ownership. Conflicts arose when colonists allowed their livestock to destroy Native crops or when Natives used European livestock in ways that were normal in their culture but considered theft by colonists. The growing settlements demanded more land and resources, leading to wars such as the Powhatan wars, the Pequot War, and King Philip's War.
Enslavement and demand for labor were other harsh realities. Colonists often enslaved Native Americans, either through capture during conflicts or by purchasing them from other Native tribes. The tobacco economy of the southern colonies, especially, fueled this practice. And over time, tribes, such as those in the Carolinas, found themselves becoming increasingly economically dependent on European goods, leading to trade imbalances and additional tensions.
Furthermore, there was a demand for cultural assimilation, such as attempts to convert Native Americans to Christianity. Colonists also frequently denied Native American systems of justice by refusing to allow them to punish Europeans who wronged them. These acts contributed to a cycle of mistrust and further violence between the communities.