European settlers and the Native Americans of North America had very different views on almost everything they encountered in their lives. Living in very different cultures causes the two groups to have two extremely different perspectives on four main topics: religious beliefs, the environment, social relations, and slavery, differences that the colonists exploited to their advantage during conquest. peoples of the New World. The settlers, saying that Native Americans were primitive and savage because of their different and seemingly illogical attitudes, were able to do things they could never have done to people they believed to be equals. Whether this was a conscious or unconscious method on the part of Europeans remains hotly debated, but the fact remains that emphasizing the differences between the two major cultures as a negative sign denoting European superiority, the colonists were able to seize Native American lands. and property without much remorse. When this country began, there were few European settlers with the modern outlook of tolerance toward different cultures. Almost no one sought to learn about Indian culture, very few adopted it, and the majority were often fearful and anxious about their new neighbors. These four main differences in religious beliefs, environment, social relations, and slavery were the root cause of the mistreatment of Native Americans, atrocious treatment that would continue for the next three hundred years in America. Religious beliefs were very important to Native Americans. first European settlers to come to America. In Europe, in the 17th century, religion decided many things in a person's life; which part o...... middle of paper ......iogrosso "The Joy of Sects" and books on spirituality and world religion, religion discussion blog, editorial consultation, spiritual direction. Internet. March 4, 2011. Popick, Jacqui. “Native American Women, Past, Present and Future.” Lethbridge Journal of Undergraduate Research 1.1 (2006). Internet. March 3, 2011. .Pritzker, Barry. A Native American encyclopedia: history, culture and people. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000. Print. Roe, Melissa A. “Indentured Servants.” EH.Net | Economic History Services. Lafayette College. Internet. March 4, 2011. .Taylor, Alan. American colonies: the colonization of North America. London: Penguin, 2002. Print. Wiesner, Merry E. An Age of Voyages, 1350-1600. New York: Oxford UP, 2005. Print.