HOW THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIST ALTERED THE ENVIORNMENT

How the New England Colonists` Altered the New England Environment In Changes in the Land, William Cronon points out the European colonists` pursuits of a capitalistic market and the impact it had on the New England ecosystem. Native Americans and colonists had different views on the use of land resources. The Natives viewed the land as something not owned, but as a resource to sustain life. They believe in a hunting-gathering system, hunting only when …

…the land. Domestic animals began to bring Old World sicknesses to New England that caused the Indians sickness and eventually caused death. This lead to the decrease of the Indian population in a short time period. As we see colonization had a drastic affect in the ecosystem that helps us understand why things are as they are, this helps us to understand and think about how our actions may affect us in the long run.