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The story of the Native American tribes is far from black and white. They are also known as the Indigenous Americans, First Americans, American Indians, Amerind, and by various other names. Native Americans are said to be the first people in America. You will be amazed to know that there are over 570 federally recognised tribes in the US, and amongst them, half of them are associated with the Indian reservations.
The History of Native American Tribes
It started around the 1600 to 1700 century, with the founding of the first permanent settlement in the US. They arrived roughly 15000 years ago from Asia through Beringia. That was the time when there was vast development of societies, people, and cultures everywhere.
In 1492, the European Colonisation of the Americans started, and because of this, there was a massive reduction in the population of Native Americans. The reasons included a lot of wars, military conquest, slaughtering and getting slaughtered by the Original Inhabitants, new diseases, enslavement, and ethnic cleansing.
What Happened Next?
Imagining what happened next is really tough. As the US government was formed, they made a settler colonialism policy; they persisted in the wage war and executed massacres against many Native American peoples. Furthermore, Native Americans were asked to leave their ancestral lands, and different policies were made for them; they were subjected to one-sided treaties, and later in the 20th century, they were forced into assimilation.
When Did The Movement Start?
It was in the 1960s when the Native American self-determination movement started, and the good part was that there was a positive result in various Native Americans' lives, but the truth is that even today, they face various issues and discrimination.
Why Were The Communities Of Native Americans Moved And Destroyed?
It commenced in the 15th century when the Europeans began to shift to North America. There were thousands of people living on a massive land area from shore to shore, and they had their own different cultures.
But they couldn't have imagined that the coming of Europeans would turn their lives upside down. The expansion and the growth of the US began, and the downfall of the Native Americans started. They were renamed, moved, asked to leave, and some of them were even destroyed.
The dislocations of the Native Americans happened for several centuries, and every episode was marked by its own set of public negotiations, different circumstances, perfect planning to cheat and mislead; from the expression of friendship to calls for the massacre, everything was against them.
It didn't end here; they had to go through starvation, multiple diseases, bloodshed, hard work, resistance, and trying to see hope when they were being badly tortured.
All this happened because the European settlement was increasing, and US government policies did not care about the independence and well-being of Native Americans.
Native Americans Today
You will be amazed to know that even today, there are more than five million Native Americans in the US, and amongst them, 78% live without any reservations given by the US government.
Today, various Native American reservations are still separate from state law. The acts of tribal citizens on these qualms are subject only to tribal courts and federal law.
This states how challenging their lives are, starting from injustice, discrimination, starvation, land ownership challenges, barriers to economic development, trauma, and bureaucratic challenges. But, the good part is things are getting better, and they are being given equal rights.
FAQs
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Which cities have the maximum population of Native Americans?
Arizona, California, and Oklahoma comprise the maximum population of Native Americans.
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What is the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924?
It really worked wonders for Native Americans, as this law states that Native Americans born in the US should be given citizenship. This enabled them to vote in state and federal elections.
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When was American Indian Day declared?
In 1916, the governor of New York stated that on every second Saturday in May, "American Indian Day" would be celebrated; it was the first state to do so.
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Why were Native Americans called semi-independent nations?
When the US was created, Native Americans were divided and forced to live in different communities that were absolutely separate from the white settlers, so they were called semi-independent nations.
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What was the Indian Appropriations Act of 1871?
This law was created subject to federal law, which says that they will be treated as domestic dependent nations and ended the recognition of independent native nations.
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