Russians – U.S. to 1877

October 2, 2013

Mutual Fear Ignites Western Exploration

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Taylor, in his last chapter of American Colonies, provides several interesting points. First, Taylor brings in another interesting viewpoint to the table that he has spoken little about before–the Russians. In this chapter Taylor explains how the Russians, in search of new lands as well as animal hides, encountered many native peoples. The Russian fur traders, known as promyshlenniki, “became notorious for their brutality to native peoples” (Taylor 447). As these fur traders moved south-eastward, they destroyed any rebellion in their path. I find it interesting that Taylor only brings up the Russians in the last chapter of his book, as almost insignificant, when in fact, the Russians brutality paralleled that of the Spanish conquistadors. Perhaps, Taylor could have placed more emphasis on this treatment as he did with most of the other great massacres in early North American History.

Secondly, Taylor states that the main cause for the exploration and attempted colonization of the Pacific coastal area was because of mutual fear of the opposing European countries’ colonization–mainly Spanish fear of the British fur traders (Taylor 454). This claim has only some partial truth. As ROMANGONE http://sites.davidson.edu/his141/winning-the-west/ expressed earlier, the reasons for expansion have greater motives than simply to beat the British or Russians to the land. Spanish Missions contributed to a large part of the expansion, which was ultimately funded by the Catholic church instead of the Spanish government. If the government wanted to truly prevent British conquering, then a more concrete plan of action funded by the Spanish government would have been appropriate and probably more effective. However, because the Spanish and Natives relied upon each other for survival, the colonization attempts prevented further British colonization (if there ever was a serious attempt west during this time). The fear of British expansion certainly created an interest in further exploration in the West, but overall the driving exploration force rested in the Spanish missions.

October 2, 2013

Short end of the stick

A reoccurring theme in American history is the poor treatment of the natives. I found this last chapter of American Colonies to be really interesting because I had never known of the Russian involvement in the continent or the Spanish taking of California. However, the Indians were cruelly treated and forced out of the land that was rightfully theirs, just as the Spanish and English had done on the east coast.

To begin Taylor goes into the Russians and their takeover in Siberia and Alaska. The Russians may have been the most ruthless of all ethnic groups as they forced the natives to provide them with furs in order to make a profit. The Russians didn’t use trade as they easily could have. Instead they chose the route of holding woman and children at gunpoint and coercing the Aleut men to bring furs back as ransom (451). Obviously, this aggravated the Aleuts and they rebelled, and the Russians quickly countered by burning villages and murdering the natives by the hundreds (452)

The Spanish were very similar with their treatment of the Indians in California. The Spanish showed no equality to the natives as they came in and just took land that they wanted with no remorse. Their move caused Russians to prepare defense in case of a Spanish attack on their new claimed lands, but Taylor states that the Spanish was “preoccupied with trying to control the immense native population” and they did so through “plundering, beating, and raping Indians.” (458) I noticed that my classmate Jake Newton spoke on how the Spanish was going to colonize in the west because of the other countries involvement in the west (http://sites.davidson.edu/his141/spanish-brutality-in-the-west/). I definitely agree with that reason, but I also feel that a big influence on the Spanish colonization in California was the need to protect their settlements in Mexico (454).

One thing I disagree with from Taylors writings is the way he makes the levels or harshness vary from ethnic groups. Although there does have to be some group that it the worst in their actions towards the natives, Taylor makes it seem like the French were good guys, English were bad at times and good at times, and the Spanish and Russians just ran over natives at all times. In reality all of these groups used natives to their own advantage and none are innocent when the history is actually analyzed.

October 1, 2013

Conquest of California

The Spanish’s interest in gaining California is interesting. The Spanish were dominant in Mexico and afterwards, Cortes turned his gaze northward up the coast of California. In the early to middle part of the 17th century, the Spanish were exploring up the coast of California, looking to see what the land there was like. They found a land that, to them, did not seem worthy of their attention or further exploration. The Spanish Empire was stretched very wide at this point and it was probably a smart decision to focus themselves on what they had already gained. As JaNewton points out, it was the threat of the British and the Russians that scared the Spanish into returning to explore California. I think it is interesting to look at the competitiveness of the Spanish and how that forced them into gaining as much land as they could before the British or the Russians could get there.

This also points to the vast lack of knowledge of the Pacific coast of North America. The Spanish had heard that the Russians were moving into North America via modern day Alaska and they felt threatened even though the two empires were thousands of miles away from each other. Also this is an example of how communication might have been exaggerated as there were only “a few dozen Russian traders” (445) in pursuit of sea otter pelts for commercial trade. Clearly, a few dozen men over 3,000 miles away shouldn’t be much of a threat, but the Spanish were very eager to keep their land and not let anyone get it. The Spanish needed this land to act as a buffer between their precious Mexico and the Hudson Bay Company and whoever else may be to the north and the more land they have, the bigger the buffer is. They were also intent on gaining more and more land in the New World to compete with the thriving colonies of the British. I think the Spanish felt threatened by the success of the British colonies and were determined, due to their competitive nature, to outdo them and become more successful, and that meant gaining new territory and new Christians.

The other important aspect of the Spanish colonization up the coast of California was the fact that they were spreading Christianity through missions. Although these missions were tough to maintain, the Catholic Church in Rome was willing to help out as they might get more followers. The missions played a major part in forming relationships with the natives of California and many became dependent upon them for providing them with easy food. They were, however, put to work and became at great risk for contracting a myriad of diseases. The Spanish missions were integral in making their stamp on the coast of California as many of them are still standing today, reminding all Californians and Americans who was there first.

October 1, 2013

The West and Unrest

In a post from September 30, @JELAWS says, “False rumors of the rate of Russian and British colonization caused the Spanish to panic and colonize California.” This is interesting because false rumors are a very critical part to both of the readings for this week. In the Taylor reading, the rumors spread between Russia and Spain are discussed at length. Obviously, neither were as close to each other as the news spreading would indicate. Spain was especially paranoid and exceptionally proactive in making sure to expand as much as possible lest Russia catch up to them. Russia, of course, as Taylor said, never had more than a few hundred settlers living in their barren, isolated colony (452). However, the rumor that the Russians were rapidly expanding their land-holdings (or establishing them at all) motivated the Spanish to increase their aggressive expansion. Additionally, though somewhat of a more minor detail, the long-lasting rumor of the “black legend” motivated the Russian promyshlenniki to treat the natives with special cruelty (Taylor 447).

False rumors similarly impacted the British treatment of colonial Americans following the Seven Years War. Upon returning to Britain, the soldiers who fought in American spread the word that colonial Americans were living a disproportionately luxurious lifestyle when compared to their European peers. These rumors may have had an impact on Parliament’s decision to pass increased taxes–they believed that this was a fair measure given that the colonists were doing so well. This taxation was not solely because of the rumors of success, but also in conjunction with the fact that the colonists had not been paying taxes for many years now. I find it interesting that in an era where communication was so slow and difficult, especially when across such large land masses, rumors had an impact on legislature and colonization practices. It does beg the question of how colonization would go today, in our era of instant communication.

September 30, 2013

The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming! and the Spanish Missionaries too

In Chapter 19, Taylor discusses the colonization in western America, mainly Alaska and California. The Spanish missionary work in California is more popular than the Russian colonization and trade efforts in Alaska. The Russian expeditions and treatment of the natives interested me. In 1741 Chirikov and Bering discovered Alaska, but Chirikov was quickly run off by natives, returning to Russia (Taylor, p. 448). Bering and his crew barely survived the winter on an island in the Bering Sea (p. 448). Bering was able to bring back sea otter pelts, which became the catalyst of Russian interest in America. Russians began hunting seals, sea otters, sea lions, and foxes. The promyshlenniki treated the natives horribly. They held the women and children as ransom until the Aleut men brought back a sufficient amount of fur (p. 451). The women and children would then be released back (p.451). It was a system of “forced commerce (p.451).” Women were often used as sex slaves during captivity only adding more fuel to the anger of the natives (p.451). The Aleuts on Umnak and Unalaska revolted, but the Russians retaliated and destroyed 18 villages (p.451). In the 1780s Shelikhov “tried to control, regulate, and reorganize the chaotic and destructive exploitation of the sea otter and the Aleut (p. 452).” Shelikhov did reduce the rape of women and increase the payment for pelts, he still used the forced commerce practice as did the promyshlenniki (p.452). The Aleuts were quickly depopulated due to “hunger, new diseases, labor exploitation, and violent retribution (p. 452).” Even though the Russians had a goal more similar to the French, I think the treatment of the natives by the Russians would have created a legend similar to the Black Legend in other parts of America.

False rumors of the rate of Russian and British colonization caused the Spanish to panic and colonize California. The Spanish colonization in California was primarily a mission expedition. By claiming that the missions benefited the natives, the Spanish took the land without any formal purchase (p.459). The growth of colonies was stunted by the lack of an overland route from Sonora to the San Gabriel mission. Some emigration did occur with the discovery of a route, but the Spanish broke their promises to the natives at the critical Yuma crossing. The Spanish took over fields for livestock, raped native women, and whipped the men who protested (p. 459). The natives eventually revolted, permanently closing of the crossing at the Yuma crossing. The emigration to the California colony was again halted.

Although the missions were more popular and successful in converting the natives than in Mexico, the corruption was still present, perhaps to a lesser degree. The neophytes had to work long hours at a steep pace. They were punished if they resisted. Many neophytes died rapidly due to disease and intense labor. The Spanish were able to sustain a mission-centered colony in California despite the high rate of native death and lack of emigration. Taylor describes the Spanish colonization in California well, but I wish he would have made the distinction between how the priests, soldiers, and colonists treated the natives instead of bundling them all under the ‘Spanish.’

In week 2 @JANEWTON made a point to recognize that “there were varying levels of violence, peaceful interaction with natives, trade, implementation of religion, etc with almost every European nation that attempted to colonize the land.” I believe that in chapter 19 Taylor made a point to include the Russians to further emphasize the differences in colonization. The Spanish missionaries in California serve as an example to remind us that each colony was different even if it was controlled by the same country.