Native Americans

1
Native Americans

• First to be subordinated by the Europeans
• The term Indian Culture includes a diversity of
  cultures, languages, religions, kinship systems,
  and political organizations
• Much of the above remains intact, today

• Over 300 languages spoken, and at least half
  remain
• Native Americans typically refers to the Indians
  in North America (i.e. the American Indians).
• Other groups found in Central/South
  America/Caribbean/Alaska

2
Early Population

• In 1500-about 7 million lived north of the Rio
  Grande
• 1800-declined to about 600,000 and by 1900
  reduced to 200,000
• The Spanish, French, and English colonists, also
  contributed to decline

• Today, the largest tribes are(in order of size)
  (1) The Cherokee (2)Navajo, and (3)Sioux.
• One of the factors to the increase in population
  is that over the last 20yrs., many have claimed
  their heritage

3
Treaties

• 1824-Bureau of Indian AffairsBIA created
• 1830-The Indian Removal Act, relocated all
  Eastern tribes across the Mississippi
• Above lasted over 10yrs., an is more commonly
  known as the Trail of Tears

• One of the largest examples of Direct
  Expulsion(Forced Migration)
• The Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, and the
  Seminole were the largest tribes to be relocated

4
Treaties continued

• 1868-the Fort Laramie Treaty with the Sioux,
  under Chief Red Cloud, was an effort to safeguard
  the White Settlers
• 1876-the Battle of Little Big Horn, last great
  Sioux battle and victoryover the territory known
  as the Dakotas

• South Dakota was and is the primary location of
  the Sioux Indians(and reservation)
• North Dakota was the large parcel relinquished by
  the Sioux to the settlers
• 1876-sold Black Hills and reduced reservation to
  five much smaller ones

5
Continuation

• Response to their frustration, many termed to the
  supernatural, the Ghost Dance religion
• Ghost Dance-proclaimed the return of buffalo and
  dead ancestors. Use of songs and dance to
  communicate

• Resulted in what has been termed the Millenarian
  movement
• Millenarian movement built on the belief that a
  cataclysmic upheaval would occur, along with a
  collective salvation

6
Millenarian movment

• 1890-over 65 of tribes in the West involved in
  the movement
• Although harmless, feared by Whites
• December 0f 1890-Battle of Wounded Kneerandom
  shot fired at soldiers. Led to close-range battle

• Shattered hope of a return to the past
• Despite all the losses over 250,000 Indians
  lived(via 1890 census)
• Reservation system developed in 19th century
  basis of their relationship with government from
  then until today.

7
Legislation

• Limited the functions of tribal leaders
• 1887-the Dawes or The Allotment Act attempt to
  turn Indians into landowners to resemble white
  settlers
• Unsuccessful, although given 160 acres

• Why? Prohibited selling of land for 25 yearsnot
  taught any skills to farm the land
• 1934-by this time lost over 90 million out of 138
  million, acres of land to settlers.

8
Continuation

• 1934- the Indian Reorganization Actthe Wheeler
  Howard Actrecognized importance of tribal
  identity, but focus still on assimilation
• Above, revoked the Allotment Act

• Allowed adaptation of a written constitution, a
  tribal council with chairperson
• The chairperson represented several tribes, which
  was somewhat problematic

9
Wheeler Howard Act Contd

• The overall structure and value system was
  foreign and problematic to them
• Resentment by many that a mestizo (mixed-blood)
  could have full voting rights
• Facilitated tribal dealings with government
  agencies

• A positive- Solidified Tribal Identity
• Over 62 live outside of the reservations
• Owed existencetribal governments to the BIA,
  not people. At bottom of the large social
  institution

10
Acts Continued

• 1953-Termination Act, most controversial
• Reduction of costs and ignored individual needs
  and withdrew many of the services, not gradually,
  but almost immediately
• 1952-BIA began programs to relocate young

• Created a negative pull of the most talented, etc
• Led to many of the young and talented to
  assimilate and into Urban areas. Most denied
  heritage.
• Pan-Indianism-intertribal social movements,
  joined by culture not kinship, united to confront
  enemy