For the majority of this chapter I felt that Tocqueville was describing and recounting the geographical aspects of North America as it was when he wrote this, quite effectively. Additionally, I found his explanation of the native tribes to be particularly enlightening and appreciated his assertion that despite their “savage life,” these humans were individualistic, equal, and free. In fact, he claims that while some might expect these people to be rather uncivil and rude, these traits are truly the result of the disparity of conditions in an aristocracy (Tocqueville 4). Tocqueville describes the native people as selfless, generous, and strong.
However, as I continued to read, I was struck by his declaration that the native people were only meant to occupy North America for a certain amount of time. He claims that they were living there only to wait until a more civilized and advanced society could relieve them. Although I recognize that this was written in the late 1830s, I find this notion to be particularly troubling. I believe that as a country today, many have come to recognize that the native people’s purpose was not to live on the land until Europeans were to take over, but instead Europeans forced them unwillingly off of the land that they inhabited first. More advanced societies felt entitled to North America and did not care who they hurt in order to obtain the land. For this, Americans must attempt reconciliation. I would hope that in today’s day and age that Tocqueville’s opinion on this would be altered.