Why Did The Colonization Of Australia And North America Differ?

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Comparing Colonization: How did the Colonization of Australia and North America Differ?
Following the Age of Discovery in the 15th century, the race for colonization was one fought on a global scale. Many nations sought to expand into a maritime empire, one that covered all corners of the world and placed them on the top charts of global domination and power. The British were no exception to this; in fact, they were one of the leaders in colonization for many centuries, their exploits reaching from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. Australia and North America were two of the targets of the British’s empire expansion; however, the reason, method, and impact of each differed from each other greatly.
Though both Australia and the Americas were …show more content…

The effect of British colonization on Native American populations was immense and destructive. Through the introduction of new diseases by the Europeans, “epidemics claimed the lives of 75 percent of the native people” between 1616 and 1618 along the New England coast (Lumen Learning, “The Impact of Colonization”) and caused “the loss of knowledge and tradition...and devastating implications for future generations” of Natives (Lumen Learning, “The Impact of Colonization”). Some less fatal effects included the somewhat forced conversion of natives to Christianity and the adoption of some European technologies, such as textiles instead of animal fur, by the Natives, which once again resulted in a loss of tradition and culture (Lumen Learning, “The Impact of Colonization”). In Australia, on the other hand, some effects on Natives were similar to those seen in North America. Thousands of natives were also killed by newly introduced diseases; however, the treatment of the native populations by the Europeans was somewhat arguably better in the beginning of colonization than it was in the Americas. A number of settlers attempted to acclimate native children to European culture by sending them to school, though many ended up returning to their tribes. Governors also initially encouraged polite and fair interactions with the natives (Skwirk, “Consequences of British colonisation for Aboriginal People”); however, feelings soon turned sour as both sides realized their interests were in conflict. Because of superior European weaponry and military tactics, the result was extreme land loss for the Natives and violent killings in reaction to resistance, leaving the indigenous populations of Australia to be almost completely wiped out (Skwirk, “Consequences of British colonisation for Aboriginal

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