Governor John Winthrop and other colonists in Massachusetts Bay held a complex and often contradictory view of Native American land rights, justifying their seizure of land through a combination of legal, religious, and practical arguments. Here's a breakdown of their justifications:
Legal Justifications:
* Vacant Land (Terra Nullius): A central argument was that much of the land was "vacant" or "unused" according to European standards. Winthrop argued that Native Americans did not have true ownership because they did not "improve" the land through agriculture and permanent settlements in the European style. He saw their hunting and seasonal movements as not constituting ownership. Therefore, he believed the English had a right to take "waste land."
* Royal Charter: The colonists received a Royal Charter from the English Crown granting them land in the New World. They interpreted this as a legal right to claim land within the defined boundaries of the charter, even if it was inhabited by Native Americans. They recognized (to some extent) that they needed to extinguish Indian title, but often did so through unfair treaties or outright confiscation.
* Right of Conquest (Just War): Colonists sometimes justified taking land after conflicts with Native American tribes. They argued that winning a war gave them the right to seize land as reparations or to ensure future peace.
* Purchase (Often Coerced or Fraudulent): Colonists sometimes claimed they had purchased land from Native Americans. However, these transactions were often conducted unfairly, with Native Americans not fully understanding the terms or pressured into selling land for minimal value. The colonists' understanding of property ownership differed greatly from that of Native Americans, leading to misunderstandings and exploitation.
Biblical Justifications:
* God's Command to Subdue the Earth: Winthrop and other Puritans believed that God had commanded them to subdue the earth and make it fruitful. They interpreted this as a mandate to cultivate the land in a way that they believed was pleasing to God, which they saw as superior to Native American land use practices.
* Removing the Unrighteous: Some colonists saw Native Americans as uncivilized and morally corrupt, viewing them as obstacles to establishing a godly society. They used biblical passages about removing the unrighteous from the Promised Land to justify displacing Native populations.
* Divine Providence: The success of the colony and the relative weakness of the Native American population was often interpreted as a sign of God's favor and a confirmation that their actions were divinely ordained. This belief in divine providence reinforced their conviction that they were justified in taking the land.
In Summary:
Winthrop's justifications were rooted in a European legal and religious worldview that prioritized cultivation and Christian civilization. He combined these ideas with a pragmatic approach that emphasized the needs of the colony and the perceived inferiority of Native American land use practices. While he sometimes advocated for fair treatment and purchase, his fundamental belief was that the English had a right, even a duty, to take possession of the land and transform it according to their own vision.
It's important to note that these justifications were deeply flawed and based on a biased perspective. They disregarded Native American rights, cultures, and traditions, and ultimately contributed to the displacement, dispossession, and suffering of Native American peoples. Historians and scholars generally condemn these justifications as self-serving rationalizations for colonialism and the seizure of land that rightfully belonged to Indigenous populations.