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Kupperman argues that the success or failure of American colonies could be largely attributed to a knowledge of the region in which they were settled. Likewise, Brooks argues that the success and failure of various African groups were dependent on the understanding of the region and the environment I which groups settled. Proto-Mande goups settled along the river after learning more about the region. They stayed away from unknown areas, such as those to the South, as they had no knowledge of the region (Brooks 28). Likewise, Jamestown colonists settled near a river and also did not stray far from the region (Kupperman 6). The English also found that the region was fertile and would be ideal for growing crops and creating a plantation.
Likewise, both authors argue that interaction with other natives to a region was vital in a group’s survival. In the beginning, Jamestown colonists became very dependent on the Indians for food and help surviving (Kupperman 8). Without the help of the Indians in the region, Kupperman argues that those in Jamestown would not have been able to survive. Mande groups near the Senegal and Niger Rivers relied on commerce from a trans-Saharan trade route during the 3rd century (Brooks 31).
However, there were vast differences between the groups. Many of the Mande people were settling in lands for the first time, as their experiences date back millenniums. The Americas had largely been settled by other European powers, and Indian groups had lived in the New World for millenniums as well. Because of this, the Mande were the first to discover how to survive in various regions. However, those at Jamestown and other colonies relied on others who were very well versed in the region for more than trade; they relied on them to help learn about the land and how to survive it. My colleague Tram Hua argues that the Europeans fundamentally misunderstood the Indians in the region. I agree with this statement, but I would also argue that the Indians did not understand the English. It was a mutual misunderstanding that led to Jamestown’s survival, as the Indians helped the English for more than they otherwise would have. This mutual misunderstanding was not present in the narrative of the Mande.