European colonialism had a profound impact on the forests and wildlife of the New World. The colonizers brought with them a deep-seated fear of the unknown, which manifested itself in many ways, including a fear of the wild forest, wolves, and superstitions of the unknown forest.
The colonizers viewed the forest as a dark and dangerous place, full of unknown dangers and lurking predators. They saw the forest as a place of darkness and evil, where the devil himself might be lurking. This fear was compounded by the presence of wolves, which were seen as vicious and bloodthirsty predators that would attack humans without provocation.
The colonizers also had many superstitions about the forest, which only served to increase their fear. They believed that the forest was full of spirits and demons, and that these entities could possess humans who entered the forest. They also believed that the forest was a place of magic, where witches and other dark forces could cast spells and work their evil deeds.
Despite these fears, the colonizers were determined to conquer the forest and tame the wilderness. They cut down trees, cleared land, and built roads and settlements. They hunted wolves and other predators to near extinction, and they forced the native peoples to abandon their traditional ways of life and adopt European customs and beliefs.
Today, we can look back on this period of history with a mixture of awe and horror. We can marvel at the courage and determination of the colonizers, who were able to conquer a vast and unknown wilderness. But we can also see the terrible cost of their actions, in the destruction of the forest and the loss of so much wildlife and native culture.
The fear of the wild forest, wolves, and superstitions of the unknown forest was a powerful force in the early days of European colonialism. This fear drove the colonizers to conquer the wilderness and tame the unknown, but it also led to the destruction of so much that was beautiful and valuable. We must remember this history, and work to protect the remaining forests and wildlife that we have left…
Sasysquatchgirl 