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government’s policies towards Native Americans in the second half of the nineteenth century were influenced by the desire to expand westward into territories inhabited by these Native American tribes. It took the shape of cash arrangements, barter, and notoriously, treaties which were almost uniformly neglected after the Indians were pushed away from the land in question. And so began the process of driving the American Indian out of the way. Kings and queens from thousands of miles away were restless to find additional resources, and some colonists came for independence and opportunity. But the drive to push inland followed soon after. Thus followed years of relative peace as the settlers got themselves established on American land. But that shortly gave way to trade, since the Europeans who landed here knew that their survival was doubtful with no native help. At the beginning, they skirmished with the surprised Indians of America’s eastern seaboard. The English, French and Spanish rushed to carve up the “New World” by transporting over poorly prepared colonists as fast as they could. As those leaders heard back from their explorers, the drive to colonize spread like wildfire. When European leaders dispatched the first vessels in our direction, the plan was to discover new resources – but the quality of weather and the bounty of everything from timber to wildlife soon changed their tune. They were at peace with this beautiful continent and intensely connected to nature. While there was unavoidable tribal conflict, that was simply a slight blemish in the narrative of our forebears.
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Archaeologists have unearthed remarkably advanced buildings and public works. It’s a narrative of beautiful art and deep spirituality.
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And that history is captivating.įrom Mayan and Incan ruins, from the mounds left in the central and southern parts of what’s today the U.S. Before any white man set foot on this land, it was settled by the forefathers of bands we now call Sioux, or Cherokee, or Iroquois.įor centuries, the American Indian grew its customs and legacy without interference. Ages before the terms Native American or Indian were necessary, the tribes were spread throughout the Americas.
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