I assume the settlers you are referring to are those that came from Europe. America had been settled for a very, very long time before those people came along.

I assume the settlers you are referring to are those that came from Europe. America had been settled for a very, very long time before those people came along. Anyhow... I know some people that trace their lineage back to the Pilgrims. They are a pretty proud bunch. Just because you are fighting for survival doesn't mean you can't be happy doing it. I think that attempting to relate this to previous colonization efforts on this planet is flawed. The motivation of the "colonists" would be completely different.