Alcohol among Native Americans
Alcohol found its way to the Native American population of North America during early contacts between Native people and European visitors, traders and explorers who, for whatever reasons, were eager to share their intoxicating drink. And, like many other so-called civilizing influences, alcohol altered the Native American existence, culture, and way of life for many years even yet to come.
It is theorized that traders wishing to gain the upper hand in their dealings introduced alcohol, because of its effects on Native thoughts and reasoning. And, when alcohol became an expected part of trading events, Europeans often came out with the lion's share of traded goods. It wasn't long before Native Americans began to lose their hold on an age-old cherished culture, losing more and more of themselves in the process. Though alcohol was not the only factor in the declining culture, it certainly posed a significant part of the process.
Alcohol, with its addictions for the unsuspecting Natives, allowed warriors to be cheated, slaughtered, or both, all for their coveted furs. And, like the "white man's" diseases, alcohol demanded a heavy toll. Countless Natives lost their lives to alcohol and its effects, some of them spinning out of control in a downward spiral that lasted years. Alcohol became an anesthetic, numbing the heart and soul of a people who had lost their hold on a way of life that would never again be able to sustain them.
