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> approximately 200,000 people inhabited the British colonies in North America Step back and notice the subtle institutionalized marginalization of that statem
by njharman 10y ago
> approximately 200,000 people inhabited the British colonies in North America
Step back and notice the subtle institutionalized marginalization of that statement. That the native population is not counted as "people". No footnote that the figure only counts immigrants, nothing. In author's view it is not even worth mentioning, native americans existing (or more like had existed) being such an unimportant fact. They are not part of the colonies, not part of what will become the America.
That view is pervasive throughout our society and its history. It is never/rarely stated, it's just "assumed". Making it insidious unless you notice it. Which is my point/hope in writing this. That you will look.
- whatshisface 10y agoI honestly don't think the number of natives in America were relevant at all to the conditions aboard the colonist's ships while at sea.
- peletiah 10y agonjharman quoted the part about "existing inhabitants" in North America, not conditions on ships. Recommended read: "1491 - New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus; Charles C. Mann"
- _petronius 10y agoAlthough I admire your impulse: the author explicitly says "inhabited the British colonies," i.e. the towns and cities and land under the jurisdiction of the colonial authorities. The native Americans were not under British control, and indeed made treaties with the colonists as foreign governments (which they were recognized as by the British and later US-Americans, although usually only when it suited them). I don't think "all of what is now the USA and Canada" is intended by the term "British colonies" in this piece. I really think they just mean the European settlements hugging the eastern seaboard -- hence the unadorned 200,000 figure.
- SmokyBourbon 10y agoStep back and realize he was talking about the "British colonies in North America". Native Americans have nothing to do with his story.