Table of Contents
What did the Native Americans and colonists trade?
Trade was one of the first bridges between New England colonists and local Native American populations. The Native Americans provided skins, hides, food, knowledge, and other crucial materials and supplies, while the settlers traded beads and other types of currency (also known as “wampum”) in exchange for these goods.
What was the relationship between natives and colonists?
Initially, white colonists viewed Native Americans as helpful and friendly. They welcomed the Natives into their settlements, and the colonists willingly engaged in trade with them. They hoped to transform the tribes people into civilized Christians through their daily contacts.
What did settlers trade?
The Jamestown colonists traded glass beads and copper to the Powhatan Indians in exchange for desperately needed corn. Later, the Indian trade broadened to include trading English-made goods such as axes, cloth, guns and domestic items in exchange for shell beads.
How did trade affect natives?
Indian tribes and fur companies enjoyed mutual benefits from the fur trade. Indians obtained manufactured goods such as guns, knives, cloth, and beads that made their lives easier. The traders got furs, food, and a way of life many of them enjoyed.
Why was trade important to the New England colonists?
Trade was one of the first bridges between New England colonists and local Native American populations. For the colonists, it was about building the infrastructure and relationships they would need to stay and thrive in the New World. For the Native Americans, it was often about building potential alliances.
What did Indians trade with colonists?
The Jamestown colonists traded glass beads and copper to the Powhatan Indians in exchange for desperately needed corn. Later, the Indian trade broadened to include trading English-made goods such as axes, cloth, guns and domestic items in exchange for shell beads.
What did Jamestown trade?
What did the Indians give to the colonists?
They supplied them with food and furs. One extremely important food source for the colonists was corn. The Indians were also generous with this essential crop, and provided them with as much corn as they could.