Unfortunately, your question is all but unanswerable, as there were many different 'American Indians', and many different groups from Europe organized in a myriad of ways.
What Was The Military Technology And Tactics Of The American Indians And The American Colonists In The 1600's?
22 Answers
Mary Frederick answered
In order to understand the military technology and tactics of the American Indians and Colonists in the 1600's it is important to know the military technology and tactics of war of each prior to the 1600's.
The American Indians prior to the coming of the colonists used knives, arrows, fire, cannibalism and hand-to-hand combat in war. The tactics of the Indians involved war parties sent out to attack others often at night. The purpose of war raids was to kill and capture; to mutilate and scalp those who were considered their enemy. Attacks were for the purpose of stealing food and other belongings of the those attacked and burning whatever they could not carry, for nothing could be left behind from a raid. Often, the cause was to avenge the death of a relative. Death could be the result of a violent act of another or death from natural causes.
Often, one tribe would taunt another tribe and as is common among humans, violence is a common response. As warriors prepared for battle tribes held elaborate ceremonies, in which they were covered with war paint. The paint serving as their armor or protection against their opponents. Often, these violent attacks upon other tribes has been treated as games of challenge, however archeologists have discovered mass graves, and remains, which prove intentional violent attacks on the bodies of others were a norm.
Leading or participating in a War Party could be to gain acceptance as an adult member of the tribe or too prove to a parent their personal ability as a warrior. Their technology consisted of war paint, spears, arrows, and knives hewn from rocks. Their tactics were sudden, night time hit and run attacks, which included taking of captives later killed in a ceremonious fashion in the presence of the whole tribe. Dancing, chapting to chase away the bad spirits of the captives killed during these ceremonies. In some tribes the flesh of their victims was eaten.
The Colonists were men of peace who had armies of war. Technology among the colonists consisted of guns, gun powder and knives. They were from a different culture and waging war was only in response to attacks from others. Guns were used to protect life and property from intruders and to provide food for the table. In contrast to the Native Americans who were looked upon as violent by nature, the colonists were looked upon as peaceful by nature.
As Colonists arrived their cultural background clashed with culture of the Indians. As the colonists began to intrude upon lands where Indians had previously possessed free range. There was simply a clash of cultures, which led to violence from man's nature to own and possess, regardless of prior ownership. Night attacks upon settlers began to grow more frequent and more violent. Fighting with arrows against guns would cause the Indians loss of lives, for which they were unprepared to cope. They began to plan raids, to obtain the guns of the colonists.
Night attacks to steal guns, powder and take captives who were later brutally killed became a common occurrence. While, the colonists formed military units for the purpose of driving the Indians from the land. Indians determined to fight back and preserve the land of their ancestors. Indians planned and carried out more and more raids by war parties, which became larger and more violent. Both groups came to realize the need to for the formation of new tactics.
Indians sought new ways and succeeded in obtaining guns through unscrupulous colonists willing to sell guns and powder to the Indians. Colonists formed the Wilderness Army to seek, kill, capture and force the Indians off the land of their birth. Indian War Parties became to include all the men of the tribe who young enough and well enough to fight. With guns and arrows, burning settlements as they attacked in the deep of the night.
In the clash of cultures between the Indians and the Colonists military technology remained stagnant, tactics remained crude, cruel and violent. The atrocities of each side however, pales in the face of violence in our world of today. world.
The American Indians prior to the coming of the colonists used knives, arrows, fire, cannibalism and hand-to-hand combat in war. The tactics of the Indians involved war parties sent out to attack others often at night. The purpose of war raids was to kill and capture; to mutilate and scalp those who were considered their enemy. Attacks were for the purpose of stealing food and other belongings of the those attacked and burning whatever they could not carry, for nothing could be left behind from a raid. Often, the cause was to avenge the death of a relative. Death could be the result of a violent act of another or death from natural causes.
Often, one tribe would taunt another tribe and as is common among humans, violence is a common response. As warriors prepared for battle tribes held elaborate ceremonies, in which they were covered with war paint. The paint serving as their armor or protection against their opponents. Often, these violent attacks upon other tribes has been treated as games of challenge, however archeologists have discovered mass graves, and remains, which prove intentional violent attacks on the bodies of others were a norm.
Leading or participating in a War Party could be to gain acceptance as an adult member of the tribe or too prove to a parent their personal ability as a warrior. Their technology consisted of war paint, spears, arrows, and knives hewn from rocks. Their tactics were sudden, night time hit and run attacks, which included taking of captives later killed in a ceremonious fashion in the presence of the whole tribe. Dancing, chapting to chase away the bad spirits of the captives killed during these ceremonies. In some tribes the flesh of their victims was eaten.
The Colonists were men of peace who had armies of war. Technology among the colonists consisted of guns, gun powder and knives. They were from a different culture and waging war was only in response to attacks from others. Guns were used to protect life and property from intruders and to provide food for the table. In contrast to the Native Americans who were looked upon as violent by nature, the colonists were looked upon as peaceful by nature.
As Colonists arrived their cultural background clashed with culture of the Indians. As the colonists began to intrude upon lands where Indians had previously possessed free range. There was simply a clash of cultures, which led to violence from man's nature to own and possess, regardless of prior ownership. Night attacks upon settlers began to grow more frequent and more violent. Fighting with arrows against guns would cause the Indians loss of lives, for which they were unprepared to cope. They began to plan raids, to obtain the guns of the colonists.
Night attacks to steal guns, powder and take captives who were later brutally killed became a common occurrence. While, the colonists formed military units for the purpose of driving the Indians from the land. Indians determined to fight back and preserve the land of their ancestors. Indians planned and carried out more and more raids by war parties, which became larger and more violent. Both groups came to realize the need to for the formation of new tactics.
Indians sought new ways and succeeded in obtaining guns through unscrupulous colonists willing to sell guns and powder to the Indians. Colonists formed the Wilderness Army to seek, kill, capture and force the Indians off the land of their birth. Indian War Parties became to include all the men of the tribe who young enough and well enough to fight. With guns and arrows, burning settlements as they attacked in the deep of the night.
In the clash of cultures between the Indians and the Colonists military technology remained stagnant, tactics remained crude, cruel and violent. The atrocities of each side however, pales in the face of violence in our world of today. world.