Native Americans

1
Native Americans

• SOC 202

2
Native Americans

• When Columbus arrived, Native American
  population, north of the Rio Grande, was
  estimated as 10 million in more than 500
  different tribes.

3
Colonization Migration

• It is the dominant group (Europeans) that
  migrated into Native American lands.
• This process is termed colonization - migration
  (and involves the conquest of preexisting
  geographical groups by outsiders).

4
Early Relations

• At first, relations between the European settlers
  and the Native Americans were peaceful.
• But as more settlers arrived, they began a
  relentless push westward.
• Tribes tried to block this expansion and the
  Europeans began a policy of genocide.

5
From Genocide to Containment

• Thousands of Indians were killed and many more
  died from malnutrition and disease.
• U.S. Government made many treaties with the
  tribes - most were broken.
• Native Americans were moved to reservations.

6
Stereotypes to Justify Inhumane Acts

• Stereotypes and labels were used to justify
  discrimination.
• Whites often viewed Native Americans as stupid,
  lying, murdering, pagan savages.
• Killing a savage was seen as making the world
  a safer place for civilized people.

7
History Written by the Victors

• Whites were labeled pioneers, not invaders
  their military successes were victories but
  those of the Native Americans massacres.
• Seizure of Native American lands was called
  settling the land.

8
Population Trends

• Native American population reached a low of a
  quarter of a million around 1900.
• Indian population remained below 400,000 until
  1950s, when it begin to grow.
• The Census 2000 reported 2,475,956 Native
  Americans in the U.S.

9
Native American Values

• Diversity - more than 500 tribes
• John Haddox has identified some central elements
  of an Indian philosophy of life

10
Haddoxs Model

• Freedom
• Community
• Generosity
• Harmony with nature
• Stress on kinship ties
• Cooperation

• Present-oriented
• Restitution not retribution
• Reverence for life
• Land seen as sacred
• Value a person for who he is not what he owns

11
Continuing Effects

• The governments attempt to destroy the Native
  Americans way of life and relocate Native
  Americans on reservations still has negative
  effects today.

12
Reservation Life

• Today, over 437,000 Native Americans live on 314
  reservations and trust lands, which account for
  about 2 of the land throughout the U.S.
• The reservation Native American largely finds his
  or her life determined by the federal government.

13
Native Americans Today

• Considerable diversity exists.
• Population is split between those on and off
  reservations and thoseliving in small towns and
  cities.
• There are differences but also some broad
  similarities.

14
Economic Indicators

• Family Income (1998)
• Median Family Income White (44,756) Native
  American (21,619)

15
Poverty

• Native Americans are often impoverished
• Percentage below poverty line - White (11.2)
  African American (28.3) Native American (31.2)
  (1998)

16
Sources of Employment

• Tourism and craft work
• Casino gambling
• Government employment
• Unemployment figures forreservations range from
  23 to 90 unemployment rates for urban-based
  Indians are also high (L.A.-40 Minneapolis
  49).

17
Education

• Percentage who have completed college - White
  (24.6) African American (13.3) Native
  American (9.4)

18
Educational Problems

• Schaefer (2002) lists
• Underenrollment at all levels
• Adjusting to schools with very different values
• Need to make curriculum more relevant
• Language barriers

19
Other Indicators

• Native American life expectancy is about 8 to 10
  years less than that of the nation as whole.
• Their suicide rate is double the national
  average, and their rate of alcoholism runs about
  5 times that of the nation.

20
The Invisible Minority

• Native Americans can be called the invisible
  minority.
• With about half living in rural areas, a third
  on remote reservations, and half in just four
  states OK, CA, AZ, and NM - most Americans are
  hardly aware of them.

21
Signs of Change

• Indian activism increased in 1960s and is
  important today.
• Casinos have promoted economic development for
  some tribes.
• Pan-Indianism - an emphasis on common elements
  that run through Native American cultures in the
  attempt to develop a self-identity that goes
  beyond the tribe.