White Man's Folly

[Mike in VA]

My country cousin sent me this, sorta off thread, but a good reminder of how it was before us palefaces invented K.I.S.S. :rolleyes:
When white man found this land, Indians were running it.

No Taxes...

No Debt...

Plenty Buffalo...

Plenty beaver...

Medicine man free...

Women did all the work...

Indian men hunted and fished all the time!

........ White man dumb enough to think he could improve on that system

[George Hill]

Your kissing cousin has a point. ;)

[buzz_knox]

And, it was legal to own slaves.

If you didn't like your neighbors, you could exterminate as many as you wanted and enslave and/or torture to death the rest.

Sorry, but as a student of anthropology, I hate that "noble savage" crap.

:rolleyes:

[DorGunR]

buzz_knox
Since ypu live in Knoxville perhaps you should read up a little more on the Cherokee Nation.
Just a thought.;)

[tlhelmer]

Buzz Knox is right! The average life expectancy was 29. People died of the flu, no eyeglasses or contacts, so you were screwed if you had poor vision.
Most importantly there were no Glocks, Sigs, 1911's, Berettas or Rugers...etc...

[buzz_knox]

I know a bit about Cherokee history. They were rather different than most other tribes. I also know that when faced with white settlers, they assimilated white culture as fast as they could. Whether they perceived it as better than their own or were just worried about being wiped out if they didn't join up, I don't know.

[PreserveFreedom]

If I had a choice to live back then, I'd settle for a flintlock and a blunderbuss. I sure wouldn't have been outgunned. ;)

[4V50 Gary]

Well, there were also some agricultural tribes who supplemented their crops by hunting. Mad Wayne Anthony saw to them after the war. Don't forget that cannibalism was also practiced in those days.

Setting aside the constant state of intertribal warfare, lack of modern medicine (but not super bugs we've got today and that we know how to innoculate for small pox if that arises), it wouldn't be all that bad. Gimme the Emergency War Surgery handbook, a case of antibiotics, plenty of black powder/lead & an Infantry model Sharps .54 cal rifle plus a Ruger SS Old Army revolver (with molds and a couple cases of musket & pistol caps) so I can hunt & fish for the rest of my life - why not?!

[pax]

Uh... it was a joke, people.

pax :D

[George Hill]

Hey Pax, Never squat with your spurs on.

[HankB]

If I had a choice to live back then, I'd settle for a flintlock and a blunderbuss ... After seeing a number of people on the range with muzzleloaders, observing their smokepoles' accuracy, reliability, and rate of fire, I have to wonder - how the h#%% did the Indians lose?

[4V50 Gary]

Lest we forget, the Indians also used flintlocks.

Mind you, their concept of warfare was unlike the Europeans. Short & hotly contested skirmishes in forested areas favored them. However, protracted seiges requiring long term committments (to seige warfare) did not suit them. They lacked the infrastructure to organize, plan and initiate campaigns. Even among the numerous tribes, they lacked unity towards a common struggle. Pontiac tried it in 1763 and later on, Tecumseh did too, but neither were successful in unifying the tribes for one great, lasting blow to regain their land. They fought each other as much as they fought Western Man.

They were also devastated by small pox, some of which was deliberately spread by Capt. Ecuyer (1/60) with the approval of Bouquet & Amhearst. Other times they contacted the disease was inadvertant or due to the lust for war prizes (scalps which they got from unearthing buried small pox victims @ Ft William Henry).

Finally, many colonists also learned the Indian way of warfare. Capt. Sam Baker, Lewis Wetzel, Daniel Boone are among the many noteworthys who could meet the Indian on their ground.

[tlhelmer]

Oh! I forgot. There was no TFL either!:eek:

[Mike in VA]

Thanks, Pax. Didn't mean to spark an anthropologic/sociologic debate. I just thought it was funny in the spirit of a 'simpler time'. I'm well aware that the IPs have their share of shortcomings. Next time I'll label it as 'today's chuckle'. In the meantime, some y'all need to lighten up and have a nice weekend.;)

[4V50 Gary]

I thought it was a funny too.

[Hal]

Speaking of Tecumseh, if you find youself in south-central Ohio in the summer, www.tecumsehdrama.com/ is a show that is a must see. (The opening battle scene, where a guy gets shot with an arrow to the chest from a distance of 30 yards, is worth the price of admission.)