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In America today, there are many discussions about racism, diversity and cultures. Some believe we are a melting pot with blended families and everyone is treated equal. While others view our society as one of disparate treatment, inequities among the races and injustice and unfair treatment inflicted by the majority population towards minorities.
One culture of people that does not appear often in today's headlines is the Native Americans. In my opinion, there is little discussion about their experience and their sacrifices. While much is said in regards to Jewish holocaust experience, Vietnamese and Latino immigration experience and the African American slavery experience, there is little mention of the first inhabitants of American soil.
After reading the Fact of Life by George Russell, the Native American experience interests me. Thus, I pose the question did the US Government's negative impact on Native Americans caused an annihilation of the first inhabitants of American soil. If they have not been annihilated have they blended into mainstream America without a trace of their own culture and heritage? If they still exist, as a separate culture / race of people, I want to know how did they survive and what is their status in today's society. This paper is my attempt to uncover the answers to the above questions and reach a conclusion in regards to the Native Americans.
Prior to 1492, Native Americans roamed the plains of the vast lands that later became known as the United States of America. During this time, they had their own culture, language, and society. The Native Americans culture was similar to other people that inherited the earth. They had a sense of family, values, spirituality, and survival, as they harvested the land, hunted fish and made a living for them. These Native Americans existed in tribal relationships with each tribe having their own language, nutritional habits, and religion and spirituality and beliefs system. Some of these tribes were known as of Mogollon, Atezc, Cherokee, and Navajo.
Before the 1492 invasion by Europeans, the first inhabitants existed in a vast population. However, after the Europeans began their colonization and land confiscation, many changes occurred for the people who later became known as Native Indians / Native Americans. These changes occurred as a direct result of the actions of European settlers. With the arrival of Europeans settlers and government's intervention, the Indians land system changed forever.
As the Europeans descended on this land, they begin to put their own government in place. The Dutch, French, English and Spanish created a government relevant to their native experience and began to claim territorial rights, in North America. This was a way for these invaders to set up laws that they thought would be a practical and appropriate manner to acquire the land.
Although, initially the new setters were seeking to compromise and establish mutually acceptable terms. Over time, those first inhabitants were deprived of their rights of land ownership with severe consequences to them. The initial policies established by the settlers, required payment for the acquisition of land from the native landholders. However, the government did not uniformly enforce this policy to all Indians. Occasionally they would pay the Indians and other times they would acquire the land by right of occupancy. Thus, these settlers were manipulating the Native Americans and the squatter's rights prevailed. The land was acquired from Native Americans by these settlers by a squatter merely taking up residency on the property with no payment to the Indians. This became the prevailing practice as competition for land ownership existed among the settlers.
As the settlers' families increased so did the need to acquire more land. Frustrations over previous land ownership laws became prevalent among the settlers. Many were looking for justification to enhance their cause and quest for additional land ownership. Not only did they look for revisions in laws but religious justification for their actions. Some of the arguments that were presented were that the Indians did not own the land by natural right, that the Bible required man to inherit the earth and the Indians were not considered men. Thus, laws begin to formulate solely to benefit the settlers. Therefore, violence and bloodshed erupted between the settlers and Indians.
Congress step in and bridge a gap between farmer and Indian in 1756 appointing Sir William Johnson and Edmund Atkin as superintendents of the newly created north and south districts for Indian affairs. Their report indicated that colonist frequently and fraudulently purchased Indian lands or occupied the land without consent or benefit of title. The relationships between the settlers and Indian became more strained, and armed conflicts increased.
America's attention was diverted to a war with Great Britain, and the issues between the settlers and the Indians were decided in the settler's favor. The government created a new structure based on the Articles of Confederation. This new structure as well as Congress enactment of laws, disadvantaged the Indians' rights to land ownership.
The American government began to conquer villages and tribal nations with the intent to make treaties with the Indians. These treaties would arbitrarily draw boundaries lines in favor of the government. The government became the landowner and force the Native Americans into land reserved and designated solely for them. This land later became known as Indian Reservations.
After the new government intervened, the American Indians were not considered a citizen. This was the precursor to the government forcing the Indians off their land and turning some into slaves, or prisoner of war. Not only were they stripped of their land, enslaved, some were killed, many were also plagued with diseases, and relegated to land that was not as desirable. The annihilation of the American Indians began.
The beginning of Columbus sparked a 400-year cycle and the exploitation, enslavement, and genocide has plagued the American Indians for centuries. In 400 years, a massive number of Indians have been exterminated through genocide.
Summary
This reminds me of the disadvantage small farmers of the 21st- century. After a number of disappointments (treaties, land grant, housing) American Indians continue to develop strong cultural boundaries between them and the government. Now in the 21st century, we need to appreciate the accomplishment and contributions that American Indians have made to humanity and the land. In a Washington Post article dated Friday, July 27, 2001, some appreciation and acknowledgment was bestowed upon the Navajo Indians for their contributions made during World War II. This is just one step in recognizing the Native Americans for their diversity, culture and values that they bring to all America.
Former President Kennedy further amplifies this in his quote below.
"It seems a basic requirement to study the history of our Indian people. America has much to learn about the heritage of our American Indians. Only through this study can we as a nation do what must be done if our treatment of the American Indian is not to be marked down for all time as a national disgrace. " John F. Kennedy-1963
Reference:
Russell, George (1997 80p) The Fact of Life: Russell Publication, Phoenix, AZ
R. Douglas-Hurt (C. 1987) (290p) Indian Agriculture in America
Steve, Vogel (Washington Post, July 27, 2001 (B3p) Creator of World War II Code Are Given Gold Medals
Internet Sources:
Newhouse, Heather "The Mogollon Culture (The Preclassic Period (Mesoamerican Civilization) 2000 BC to AD 250
Written by Dennis S. Murray Sr
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Source by Dennis Shannon Murray