Resource Competition and

Conflict

Ranking System for Historical

Competition/Conflict

Rank (most
impactful-least
impactful)

Conflict

Why

Land
Boundaries

European nations equated landholdings to power. If one

nation was seen to have too much land (aka too much
power), the other nations would put it in its place by fighting
for land. As a result, there were a lot of casualties and
battles. The Europeans also unjustly pushed the natives out
of their land, creating more tensions between the two
groups.

Trade

European nations needed trade to boost their economy and

rise as a world power. They controlled trade, set up trading
companies and posts all across the Americas to ensure
authority. While some European countries had peaceful
trading relations with the Indians, many others exploited the
Indians of their goods to assert dominance.

Resources

European nations cultivated resources in the Americas to

export to their home countries in order to help their
industries. They exploited many natural resources from the
natives, such as timber, for making shelter and for

Ranking System for Predicted

Competition/Conflict
Rank (most impactful-least
Conflict
Why
impactful)
1

Resources

Immediately adding 1 million people to a population

that is already over 6 million people could quickly
deplete Houston of its resources. It could also put a
strain on the environment of not only the Sam Houston
National Forest, but also of the area surrounding it.
There is a finite amount of resources to be spread out
evenly among the refugees this will lead to
competition and fights within the camps.

Land

The Houstonians might be angered that their land is

being used for refugee resettlement. The Sam Houston
National Forest is widely used for recreational use, and
having the refugees settle there could lessen the quality
of visitors pleasure.

Jobs

Jobs being taken by the refugees could anger the

Houstonians. The Houstonians might think that the
refugees are robbing them of their job opportunities.
However, this shouldnt be too much of a problem
because initially, the refugees will only hold occupations

1 Greatest Conflict: Land

Boundaries
st

The competition for land led to the greatest amount of conflict

between the Europeans and the natives and between the
European powers. Natives would fight over land with British
colonists which eventually led to them being pushed off slowly.
When the colonists came to settle in the natives land, they would
abuse the available resources and force the natives, who set no
real land boundaries before, to leave. The colonists also played
rivalry tribes against each other, leading to land loss of both
tribes as shown in the picture to the right. Additionally, European
powers thought having the most land had a direct relationship to
having the most power in the world. So, the French, Spanish,
English, and Dutch all fought each other in wars, including the
French and Indian War for land. This resource conflict is the most
impactful because the amount of battles and deaths that were
produced.

nd

Greatest Conflict: Trade

As mercantilism rose, the European countries thought trade should be controlled so that more money
would flow into the country than out of it. Thus, the European powers competed over trading posts, as
trade boosted their economy. The Navigation Acts was a way that the English got control of world trade
from under the Dutch, as the Dutch profited from free trade internationally. The natives became
indebted in trade with the Europeans, which caused them to raid English settlements (ex. Yamasee
uprising). The English saw native villages advantageous in two ways economic profit and the natives
could be potential allies against the Spanish and French. The last conflict the rise of trading port cities

rd

Greatest Conflict:
Resources

When the Europeans came to the Americas, the settlers competed greatly with the natives for
resources. They needed timber to build shelter, food to eat, and items for trade. They regularly
exploited the natives land of their resources. The European powers also wanted the American
resources for themselves, and competed with each other to get the most. The need for resources to
export to their home countries caused European powers to create plantations for cash crops. This led
to the use of slaves and indentured servants, creating more tensions and divisions between the natives
and the Europeans. Soon down the road, this need for resources led to a greater need for labor. The

1 Greatest Predicted Conflict:

Resources
st

There will definitely be competition over resources in the campsites. There will be a finite amount of
resources that will regularly supply the refugees. There might be fights between refugees in the camps
for food or fresh water because they would want more and more for themselves. The refugees are
escaping violence and poverty back home, so the campsites might be the first place where they get a
nutritional diet. Most fights in refugee camps take place over resources, so this is the second most
important predicted conflict.

nd

Greatest Predicted
Conflict: Land

The Houstonians might feel invaded by the refugees when the Central Americans relocated in the Sam
Houston National Forest. The sudden introduction of 1 million people to the area can be overwhelming
the Houstonians because the Greater Houston area already includes a population over 6 million. The
Houstonians might be angry that the refugees are taking away a source of recreational area and turning
it into the new homes for Central Americans. The Houstonians might feel it is their right to do what
they want with the land, and that the refugees have no say in how the land should be used.

Greatest Predicted Conflict: Job

The refugees and the Houstonians will have
conflict over jobs because the refugees will want
to provide for their families. So they will take jobs
no one really wanted to do or jobs they did in their
home land and will be paid less. The
Houstonianswill feel that the jobs are being taking
away from the people who live here. This would
cause conflicts between the Houstonians and the
refugees over the refugees taking their jobs.