The Last of the Mohicans Analysis Essay Example

During 1450-1750 innovation in the field of the maritime expedition such as the compass, astrolabe, lateen sails, improvement on ship design, and much more leading to a rapid increase in trade by ocean. During the same time period, the advent of the Industrial Revolution began in Britain and spread to other countries. Which led to the demand for more natural resources, which led to imperialism and the ideology of  Social Darwinism.  After reading the novel The Last of the Mohicans which is a long story that takes place in the third year in the French and the Indian War in which the last Mohicans who are Chingachgook and Uncas who are to assist Heyward and Munro in the journey with the help of  Hawkeye to get Alice and Cora back for the hand of the Huron. While reading The Last of the Mohicans there were some key events (themes) that were mention, those themes have a certain pattern in world history, and even today, they are more a change than a continuity such as the geographic aspect of the world, technology, tactic use in war and many more, and The French and Indian war was more a positive effect than the negative on our world today such as the longer life expectancy, more goods are produced quick, quicker trade and travel, and the formation of the United Nation, however, it has a negative effect on people living during that time.

The themes in The Last of the Mohicans show a change in the novel and later on to the present day. At the beginning of the novel, it states, “It was a feature peculiar to the colonial wars of North America, that the toils and dangers of the wilderness were to be encountered before the adverse hosts could meet.” (James ch. 1). Notice the word peculiar and how it says the danger to meet its host shows that the British were new to the so-called New World, and it seems odd to them.

However in the modern time, the land doesn’t seem odd to us due to the help of satellites which help by showing online maps and directions, also another change is that the land the British use to conquer during the third year in The French and the Indian War (British) and it expanded to today America (America). In the novel it also tries to hint that Native America is new to these new weapons such as the rifle, the novel try to hint it by telling how one of the Horun was missing all it shot by using a rifle, and for an example, if you are a novice at something, you would be bad at the thing you are new to right, so this infers that Native America is new to these new weapons also the weapon and warfare tactics change in the modern world like the introduction of the tank, air force, different type of gun,  rule during war, like not being allowed to use an unfair weapon and more. The novel also shows how the friendship between the Native American can change due to The French and the Indian War and example in the novel is that one of the Mohicans' allies (Oneida)  try to attack them and it possible that the Oneida can become their enemy because the Native American change their side quickly, another example is how the Delaware village broke up its treaty with the Hurons due to Magua not returning Cora. The breaking of bonds led to the fall of many Native American tribes, and only a few remained.

Some could argue that there is some continuity like discrimination, which is also shown in the novel it states, “‘Some are blacker than the sluggish bear. These He said should be slaves...Some He made with faces paler than the ermine of the forests; and these He ordered to be traders; dogs to their women, and wolves to their slaves...Some the Great Spirit made with skins brighter and redder than yonder sun...He gave them this island as He had made it, covered with trees, and filled with game. The wind made their clearings; the sun and rain ripened their fruits; and the snows came to tell them to be thankful.”(James ch. 29) and it is disappointing to see that it still happens today! I do argue with that however discrimination is not what it use to be before, where black people use to be slaves and then civil war breaks out to free slaves, then the Jim Crow laws form and then black people fought for their rights and got granted in 1870 by the 15 amendments, then the woman also wanted the right to vote and got granted in 1920 by the 19 amendments. Also, there used to be discrimination against the Chinese by the Chinese  Exclusion Act which don’t allow Chinese to enter America and was abolished in 1943, then the Ku Klux Klan form, and today in the modern world where people still fight for their rights, however, it isn’t worst as the before one. Now there are people all over the world that fight for people's rights and the mass media also play a role. In the end, there are more changes than continuity.

The French and Indian War have a positive effect on us today, however a negative effect on the people living during that time. The positive effect on us politically is that it helped form America because the outcome of the war was the British Victory and later on turned into America which is a democratic country. It also fueled the Industrial Revolution, and it gave many benefits as shown here  “Many of the advances that led to the development of modern medical practices occurred because of the efforts of the Industrial Revolution … As communication lines improved throughout the world, doctors and researchers could work together to find new cures or treatments for deadly diseases … Thanks to the processes introduced by the Industrial Revolution, companies could produce items faster than ever before. These methods increased the number of items that could be made per hour …” (Keith). This shows how  Industrial Revolution help us in the long run (economically)  by having goods at a cheaper price and made quicker, and how it also helps fight diseases, even though it lead to many wars such as World War I, World War II, Cold War, etc, it helps form the United Nation to prevent these war from ever happening again. It also has a negative effect on the people living during that time period of the French and the Indian war such as it led to the death of many people like Cora who was killed by one of Magua’s men; Uncas who died by Magua, and it deeply affects the Mohicans bloodline because he was the one of the last Mohicans to die; it also hinted that the colonizer also brought disease and it was hinted when Heyward was sent to treat one of the sick women who they thought the Evil Spirit has done this and later on many Native American died to the sickness. Even though Britain won the war they did lose a lot of money which led them to tax the American people and then went into the American Revolution and lost, which mean that there is no real winner in war.

In conclusion, after reading the novel The Last of the Mohicans and writing this essay, the French and the Indian war have an impact on the world through world history. It has a negative on the people living during that time period and some positive impact such as why we are here today. We don’t live in a perfect world, not everything is perfect, we make mistakes and learn from them in order to prevent doing it again like how the United Nations was formed to stop the war from happening. Past is the past, change the future! What would happen if the French and Indian war didn’t happen, how will it affect our life?

Works Cited

Cooper, James Fenimore. "Chapter 1." The Last of the Mohicans. Lit2Go Edition. 1826. Web. <https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/26/the-last-of-the-mohicans/264/chapter-29/>. August 31, 2021.

Cooper, James Fenimore. "Chapter 29." The Last of the Mohicans. Lit2Go Edition. 1826. Web. <https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/26/the-last-of-the-mohicans/264/chapter-29/>. August 31, 2021.

"European Claims and Settlement." History Hub, historyhub2017.weebly.com/images2.html. Accessed 31 Aug. 2021.

"Language origins of America's states." imgur, jimmiesbrustled, 8 May 2014, imgur.com/gallery/EfmBK/comment/1478040793. Accessed 31 Aug. 2021.

Miller, Keith. "19 Biggest Pros and Cons of Industrial Revolution." Future of Working, futureofworking.com/8-biggest-pros-and-cons-of-industrial-revolution/. Accessed 31 Aug. 2021.