Savage: adj- fierce, ferocious, cruel, untamed, unpolished, rude, rugged, barbarous, furiously angry
noun- an uncivilized human being; fierce, brutal, or cruel person; boorish person, a member of a preliterate society
Savagery: noun- an uncivilized or barbaric state or condition
Today in class we read a passage from an 1887 textbook. The passage given is a description of Native Americans, they were often called Indians or savages. As shown above, being called a savage isn't exactly a compliment. They are described as very rough or rugged people, in which the women did all the work and were considered "slaves and drudges of their lazy lords", showing that they didn't receive much respect. Native Americans are perceived in this text as "very revengeful" and war was considered the greatest employment. They would scalp their enemies which leads to them being viewed as someone to fear.
If you were an American student reading this text as part of your schoolwork, how would that shape the way you viewed Native Americans? This text would lead me to view the Native Americans as scary forest people who treat women poorly and have the need to kill. The text shows them as 'savages' which relates to why they were referred to as that. Knowing what I have learned in this class, I know that Native Americans are much more than this description.
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