Example #1
Source: Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe, published in 1719.
Background: This novel conveys European ideas about the peoples they were enslaving
and colonizing. Defoe tells the story of a young man who meets an escaped slave and
travels with him along the coast of Africa (en route to South America), where he refers
to:
“…the truly Barbarian coast, where whole nations of Negroes were to surround us
with their canoes and destroy us.
The savage coast between the Spanish country and Brasils, which are indeed the
worst of savages; for they are cannibals, men-eaters, and fail not to murder and
devour all the humane bodies that fall into their hands.”
He wonders how he might ”destroy some of these monsters”
And calls his companion’s people “blinded, ignorant pagans.”
Example #2
Source: English Captain George Vancouver’s published account of his 1792 journey
along the coast of the Pacific Northwest, titled A Voyage of discovery to the North
Pacific Ocean and Round the World.
Background: Vancouver’s goal was to pave the way for future explorers and settlers
from England, and to stake a claim to the territory. In this passage, he describes the land
and peoples.
“These people varied in no essential point from the natives we had seen. Their
persons were equally ill made, and as much besmeared with oil and different
colored paints.
The natives we have seen possessed no European commodities, or trinkets, excepting
some rude ornaments apparently made from sheet copper; this circumstance, and
the general tenor of their behavior, gave us reason to conclude that we were the first
people from a civilized country they had yet seen.
The serenity of the climate, the innumerable pleasing landscapes, and the
abundance that nature puts forth, require only to be enriched by the industry of
man with villages, mansions, cottages, and other buildings, to render it the most
lovely country that can be imagined.”
Example #3
Source: Harry Laughlin, head of the Eugenics Record Office testifying before the U.S.
Congress in support of the Immigration Quota Act (or Johnson Act),
Background:
By the 1920s, large numbers of immigrants were coming to the United States from
Southern and Eastern Europe, including Jews who were being persecuted in their home
countries. The previous waves of immigrants, beginning in the 1850s, consisted mostly
of Western and Northern Europeans (especially Irish, German and English). There were
some Americans who feared the Anglo-Saxon majority was being somehow degraded by
the presence of new ethnic groups.
The U.S. Congress responded to those complaints by passing a bill that would change the
way immigrants were admitted. A series of quotas would be put on each country of
origin, and they would be based on the 1890 U.S. census. Three percent of each group of
immigrants living here in 1890 would be the number of new immigrants allowed from
each country in 1924 (and every year after until the quotas were lifted). So the countries
most heavily represented in the U.S. population in 1890 (Ireland, England and Germany)
would get to send large numbers in 1924, while those in Eastern and Southern Europe,
Asia, Latin America and Africa could send only small numbers, if any.
Here is what Rep. Laughlin argued (later printed in his tract Immigration and Conquest)
“Racially the American people, if they are to remain American, are to purge their
existing family stock of degeneracy, and are to encourage a high rate of
reproduction by the best-endowed portions of their population, can successfully
assimilate in the future many thousands of Northwestern European immigrants …
but we can assimilate only a small fraction of this number of other white races; and
of the colored races practically none.
In the rat world the record is not one of conquest by direct war and formal battle,
but one by the quiet immigration – a few at a time – of members of the invading
species, which established itself, reproduced at a high rate, and succeeded to the
ownership of the invaded territory.”
Example #4
Source: James Swan’s published journal of his three years in Washington
Territory (before it became a state) in 1857.
Background: Swan was an oysterman and later an Indian agent for the U.S.
government. Beginning in the 1840s, people like Swan moved west to settle
permanently. Their goal was to assimilate the indigenous peoples, and they transplanted
American ideas about government, economy, religion and lifestyle in the Northwest.
“We are too apt to consider the Indian as the being he is represented in those
fictitious tales and poems of imaginary Indian life which have been in use from the
first days of the American continent. Let the Indian get acquainted, and feel that he
is in the presence of a friend and one who feels an interest in his welfare, and he
then throws off his reserve, and then it is seen that he can talk and laugh like the
rest of the human family.
Their property consists in movable or personal property. They never
considered land of any value till they were taught so by the whites. If I or any of the
settlers had been allowed to have purchased the Indian titles to the land when we
first went there, the whole tract from the Columbia to fuca Straits could have been
bought for a few trifling presents.
They were glad to have us settle on and improve their lands. They knew they
could not do so for themselves, and they were content to be paid for the land. They
like to have the white man come among them and cultivate lands, and they like to
trade with the whites, but farther than this they do not want. They neither wish to
adopt the white man’s style of living, or his language, or religion. They feel as we
would if a foreign people came among us, and attempted to force their customs on
us whether we liked them or not. We would certainly rebel. The only way, in my
opinion, in which an Indian can be thoroughly changed and Christianized is by
either taking the child from its parents and bringing it up under Christian
instruction, and away from tribal influence and prejudices, or to gradually civilize a
tribe, and let the rising generation make the change.”
Example #5
Source: A letter written by Christopher Columbus to Lord Raphael Sanchez, treasurer of
Aragon (one of the sponsors of Columbus’ first voyage), dated March 14, 1493.
Background: Columbus reports being enormously impressed with the native peoples
(Arawaks). Nonetheless, he will later enforce a cruel policy for extracting gold from the
islands he “discovered,” where he cut off the hands of those who didn’t produce the
required amount, and punished any who stole gold by cutting off their ears and noses.
In addition to deciding whether this letter (not Columbus’ later behavior) fits the concept
of ethnocentrism, think about why Columbus paints the picture he does in this letter.
“As soon as they see that they are safe and have laid aside all fear, they are very
simple and honest and exceedingly liberal with all they have; none of them refusing
anything he possesses when he is asked for it, but, on the contrary, inviting us to ask
them. They exhibit great love toward all others in preference to themselves. They
also give objects of great value for trifles, and content themselves with very little or
nothing in return … I did not find, as some of us had expected, any cannibals among
them, but on the contrary, men of great deference and kindness.”
Example #6
Source: The sermon of Bartoleme de las Casas in 1511.
Context: Friar Montesinos was speaking angrily to his Congregation in Santo
Domingo (including Christopher Comubus’s son, Diego). He disagreed with how
Columbus and his men were treating the Arawaks living on the island of Hispaniola.
“Tell me, what right have you to kill the Indians? What have they ever done
to you? And why do you make them slaves? You attack them and torture them.
Why do you do this?
“Why can’t you feed them and take care of them? It is because you are so
greedy for gold that you work them to death. You don’t eve teach them about God
or let them go to church.
Aren’t the Indians people? Doesn’t the Bible tell you to love them as much as
you love yourselves? Your are living in a dream! Don’t you understand?”
When Friar Montesinos had left the church, all the people had begun talking to
each other. “Who does he think he is?” one man shouted.
“He should be hung!” shouted another.
“No, we cannot hang a priest. But Admiral Columbus, you can order him to
stop. Send him back to Spain. Send them all back.”
Example #7
Source: A letter from President George Washington to General Sullivan, May 31, 1779.
Background: George Washington stood to gain personally by driving Native Americans
off their land. He owned shares in the Mississippi Company, a land speculation group
that “held” 2.5 million acres of native land in the Ohio valley. Native people still lived
there and had never given it to the company. People who wanted to start their own farms
and villages in the new and expanding American republic were encouraged to settle west
of the Allegheny Mountains.
“The expedition you are appointed to command is to be directed against the hostile
tribes of the Six Nations of Indians with their associates and adherents. The
immediate object is their total destruction and devastation and the capture of as
many persons of every age and sex as possible.
It will be essential to ruin their crops now on the ground, and prevent their planting
more.
Parties should be detached to lay to waste all settlements around … that the country
may not be merely overrun, but destroyed.”
Example #8
“Charge to Initiates” of the Knights of the White Camelia
(later named the White League in Louisiana, 1869)
The order’s main and fundamental object is the MAINTENANCE OF THE
SUPREMACY OF THE WHITE RACE in this republic. History and physiology
teach us that we belong to a race which nature has endowed with an evident
superiority over all other races… And it is a remarkable fact that as a race of men is
more remote from the Caucasian and approaches nearer the black African, the
more fatally that stamp of inferiority is affixed to its sons, and irrevocably dooms
them to eternal imperfectability and degradation.”
Example #9
Source: Excerpt from an article titled “Human Beings Are Not Mascots” by Barbara
Munson
“Native people are saying that they don’t feel honored by this symbolism. We
experience it as no less than a mockery of our cultures. We see objects sacred to us
– such as the drum, eagle feathers, face painting and traditional dress – being used,
not in sacred ceremony, or in any cultural setting, but in another culture’s game.
Why must some schools insist on using symbols of a race of people? Other schools
are happy with their logos which offend no human being. Why do some schools
insist on categorizing Indian people along with animals and objects?
Example #10
Name: ____________________
Concept: Ethnocentrism
Data Retrieval Chart
1. Does the example
pose one nation/race
or culture as the basis
against which others
are judged?
Example #1
Robinson Crusoe
Example #2
George Vancouver account
Example #3
Rep. Laughlin statement
Example #4
James Swan’s journal
2. Is the alien
3. Is the message 4.Does the
culture portrayed that the speaker’s comparison
as inferior?
(or dominant)
reflect
culture is
stereotypes
Superior?
Or overgeneralizations?
1. Does the example
pose one nation/race
or culture as the basis
against which others
are judged?
Example #5
Columbus’ letter
Example #6
Speech de las Casas
Example #7
Washington’s letter
Example #8
Knights of *White
Camilia charter
(like the KKK)
Example #9
Article excerpt on Mascots
Example #10
1883 Boycott poster
2. Is the alien
3. Is the message
culture portrayed that the speaker’s
as inferior?
(or dominant)
culture is
Superior?
4.Does the
comparison
reflect
stereotypes
Or overgeneralizations?