The document discusses the differing worldviews of American Indians and Europeans regarding nature. American Indians lived close to the earth and believed in stewardship of the environment over generations. Europeans valued technology and saw nature as something to dominate for their own desires. Europeans also viewed American Indians as less human because of their closeness with nature. When Europeans colonized America, they exploited both the land and native peoples.

1. “Dirt Poor”
Kurt Love, Ph.D.
Central Connecticut State University
11/14/13
Henry James Memorial School, Simsbury

2. Europeans & American Indians
American Indians:
Lived close to the Earth
Believed in “7-Generation”
thinking
Saw that abusing nature
meant abusing themselves

3. Europeans & American Indians
Europeans:
Valued technology
instead of nature.
The Earth was something
to dominate and
manipulate to meet their
desires.
Saw themselves as
superior because they had
technology or were more
distanced from nature

4. Europeans & American Indians
Europeans saw American
Indians as not fully
human or an “other.”
Because Europeans saw
the Earth as something to
conquer with their
technology, they also saw
people who lived close to
nature as people they
could conquer.

5. European & West Africans
Clash of two peoples because of how
they related to the Earth
Europeans: Nature for profit, land
ownership, enclosure, capitalist
mindset/values
West Africans: Nurturance, reciprocity,
sustainable mindset/values
Slavery: About 12 million captured and
shipped to the Americas, 645,000
brought to the U.S., nearly 4 million
slaves in the 1860 census
Domination for profit via capitalism

6. Rural Poverty

7. Rural Poverty

8. Rural Poverty

9. Southern Poverty

10. Rural Poverty
How is poverty
and connection
to the Earth
related?

11. High Status Job?

12. Poverty & Technology

13. Poverty & Technology
What is the
relationship
between poverty
and technology?

14. Poverty & Technology
Those that live
more dependent
on technology (or
with more
distance from
nature) are seen
as being wealthier.