Pilgrims... America's First Illegal Immigrants...

[K Frame]

Indians had been fighting each other for centuries, as well. And they were quite good at it. Take a look at the Mayan and Aztec empires. Those didn't emerge from a negotiating table.

The difference was that the Europeans were technologically FAR superior. A small number of men could counter a much larger number of natives.

[Ben]

Take a look at the Mayan and Aztec empires.

Indeed. Delving a bit into the Aztecs should completely remove the notion of "the peaceful native American at one with nature and Bambi". That whole civilization was one big horror show, despite the advancements they made in the region.

[Ron]

Not to mention there were I think three very loose confederations of something along the lines of 300+ different tribes.

There were also multiple different opinions on how to approach the native question among colonists, colonial governments and eventually the US government.

Hardly anyone was on the same page on any of the sides.

[Perd Hapley]

Not to mention there were I think three very loose confederations of something along the lines of 300+ different tribes.

Which one was in charge of immigration policy and border control? 

[MechAg94]

Indians had been fighting each other for centuries, as well. And they were quite good at it. Take a look at the Mayan and Aztec empires. Those didn't emerge from a negotiating table.

The difference was that the Europeans were technologically FAR superior. A small number of men could counter a much larger number of natives.

But my understanding is the Spaniards had their own army of groups who had been conquered by the Aztecs and treated pretty badly.  It wasn't just them against everyone else.  But I am sure swords and armor against clubs helped quite a bit. 

[makattak]

But my understanding is the Spaniards had their own army of groups who had been conquered by the Aztecs and treated pretty badly.  It wasn't just them against everyone else.  But I am sure swords and armor against clubs helped quite a bit. 

Those "clubs" were pretty effective against swords and armor.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macuahuitl

They could decapitate a horse in battle.

A near molecular blade will do that.

[Pb]

Well, today they're no longer killing each other in tribal warfare and enslaving captives from other tribes, further south they're no longer cutting the hearts out of captives atop pyramids, they have electricity, modern dentistry, flush toilets, and casinos, they're no longer abandoning their elderly outside to freeze to death in the winter . . .

I'd say in the long run, even though it was a rough road to get here, overall, things turned out pretty well for them.

Around 90% of them died from disease.  They lost control of two continents.  In the USA they are the most dysfunctional minority group of all.

[makattak]

Around 90% of them died from disease.  They lost control of two continents.  In the USA they are the most dysfunctional minority group of all.

Oh, thanks for that, I meant to respond to that one as well.

I would say that for the Indians that did assimilate into the invading culture, it worked out well. (Eventually... What our country did to the assimilated Cherokee was horrific.)

Of course, their culture is effectively gone now, but that's nothing to be concerned about, right? Just assimilate into the invading cultures and you'll be fine.