The History of Native of Americans - Research Paper Example

The History of Native of Americans Introduction The Indigenous people of the United s are also known as Native Americans or American Indians. They are said to have originated from Eurasia, the latest migration believed to date back to 12000 years ago. Traditionally, they were hunters and gatherers although records show that some practiced aquaculture and agriculture. They form several tribes and there are around 335 federally recognized tribes in the United States alone, excluding Alaska. The 2011 United States census bureau shows that there are approximately 5.2 million Native Americans. The Native Americans have a rich and diverse culture which date back to their ancestors and their culture has contributed greatly to their wider recognition (Barnes 76). Modern day Native Americans and where they live in the United States Most modern day indigenous Americans live in North America in the United States and Canada. The modernized ones live in large cities with other races and some in the reserves where they farm and hunt. Those who live in reserves have some Indian laws that govern them. For instance, some have tax laws that differ greatly to states taxi laws. In some tribes, alcohol and gambling are illegal and are severely punishable. Even though the Native Americans of the United States are subject to their tribal laws and elect tribal elders who lead them, they are still the citizens of the United States and they obey and follow the federal laws of the United States (Bright 31). They also vote just like the other races and can join and serve in the military or police. Studies show that most Native Americans in the United States are still trying to cope with adjustment of civilization and belong to all economical classes from the most primitive to the most sophisticated. Majority of Native Americans have adapted modernity and face the risk of becoming endangered. This is because the children of the Native Americans fail to learn their native language, leading to death of the languages. According to the 2008 census 70 percent of Native Americans live in the urban areas and like to be identified by their tribes such as Cherokee, Beothukm, Inuit, Hawaiian, and Cree Indian among others. Many of them like speaking their languages or maintain their practices even if they are thousands of miles away from their homelands (Carney 28). The largest Native American tribe according to the 2006 census was the Cherokee with a population of 331,000, followed by Navajo with 230,000. The economy of the Natives ranges from good to worst, a few have made it affluence particularly those who have utilized natural resources in their lands and those who trade oil and run casinos. The rest of thousands of Native Americans are still in poverty and survive on hunting and small-scale farming (Bright 77). They live at starvation levels and the government of the United States provides aid to support them. The 2006 census shows that the median annual income of a Native American’s household by was $33,132. The revenues of their businesses in 2002 amounted up to $26.4 billion. The percentage of Native Americans living in poverty was 22, while that of the ones with no health insurance was 29 percent. In terms of education, some are highly educated. The 2006 Census shows that the percentage of Native Americans with a high school diploma is 77% while 14 % have a bachelors degree or higher. Majority of these have relocated to the cities where they work to earn their living (Pritzker 67). Some have completely assimilated and even intermarried with the white race and other races. However, some live in complete isolation from other races. The relocation programs run by various organizations and the federal government have considered the Native Americans for jobs in the cities (Carney 47). The Colonial Era The colonization of America by Europeans was encountered by resistance and rebellion from the indigenous people. The Native Americans did not want their lands to be taken or get subjected to alien laws which were not their own. Colonization changed lives of these people forever. Their cultures were affected, their bloodlines, religion, health among other factors. The Europeans came along with various infectious diseases, which really affected the health of the indigenous people (Daniel 179). Unlike the whites who were resistant to these infections the indigenous people had no immunity to European diseases. Outbreaks of measles and smallpox caused a lot of suffering to them and even death. Their population was ravaged and it diminished greatly. The warfare with the whites caused their displacement and the superiority of the Europeans increased. The increased superiority of the whites led to a lot of mistreatment of the indigenous people. They were subjected to forced labor where they worked in farms and built bridges among others (Fixico 71). Mistreatment led adoption of suicidal behaviors. Men would kill themselves by jumping from cliffs or ingesting a deadly poison which was known as manioc. Women on the other hand would abort or kill their infants. Indigenous people who lived during the colonial era include the Tainos, and the Balthazar who were inhabitants of Northern California. The Navajo and the Apache lived in the present-day Arizona although some lived in present-day New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Texas. Most of the Navajo and the Apache were Nomadic pastoralists. The others are the Oneida, the Tuscarora, Cayuga, Erie, Onondaga, and the Seneca who lived in the east of the Mississippi river and North Carolina. This second group spoke a tribe known as Iroquoian. Some lived in the plateau regions and adapted a plateau culture; they include the Modoc, the Walla Walla, Nez perce, Klikitat and the Yakama who occupied the present-day Idaho, Montana and eastern Oregon (Ransom 91). Among the first Europeans to arrive in the United States was Christopher Columbus. He was among the first European explorers (1492–1504). Colonization revolutionized their lives completely. There was a high rate of intermarriage with the whites and enslavement. Those who intermarried were regarded as outcasts who had betrayed their fellow countrymen. Even though their strength diminished greatly due to warfare, diseases and enslavement, the Native Americans sometimes re-organized themselves to form new cultural groups. Some of these cultural groups are the Seminoles who lived in Florida and the Mission Indians who were found in California. Colonization brought about education, assimilation to the European cultures and affected religion (Daniel 210). The colonialists wanted to civilize the Natives in many aspects, they introduced a system of governance where people paid tax, and children were taken to school. They forced Catholicism to the Natives who had their own traditional beliefs. To present day, most Native Americans are catholic Christians. With time the European settlers from different European countries kept coming. The Great Britain, Spain, and France all occupied America. Their colonial militias always clashed in competition for existing resources and also each wanted to conquer the other. With time these groups formed allies with the Native Americans and competed for their allegiance so that they could strengthen their armies. Even though the Native Americans fought in on both sides of the conflict, a majority of tribes fought with the French forces with the aim of eliminating the British who were brutal and always expanded rapidly (Fixico 99). The Native Americans always formed allies with the Europeans with an aim of eliminating their traditional Native enemies. This is because the Europeans had superior weapons such as guns compared to the Natives who used bows and arrows. They also wanted to improve their trading relationships so as to improve their livelihood. They formed treaties in order to show loyalty so that their territories could be preserved. Native Americans always got disappointed because Europeans overturned such treaties. Some of the tribes that allied with the colonials are the Oneida and the Tuscarora. How Native Americans have been Romanticized of different times The name Native Americans is used to show the fact that these people existed before the Europeans came to the United States. The fact that these people came to America thousands of years ago. Over the years different races have idealized the Native people in a particular manner. In the past Native Americans were always portrayed as brave and fierce warriors who often defeated their Native enemies. They were stereotyped as people who loved nature and sometimes even worshiped it. Some of their beliefs were linked to natural creations such as the sun, moon and the sky. The Native Americans would punish anyone who misused nature in any way by chopping off their heads and giving it to people to eat. There are also beliefs that the Native Americans practiced cannibalism and some of these beliefs are depicted in modern-day movies such as Apocalypto. The elders were always respected and depicted as wise. In the present day, there are several ideas and stereotypes of Native Americans culture, character, and lifestyle. Most people in the world have created images of the Native Americans as cowboys, buffalo soldiers of the blue-coated army or very courageous warriors. Most of these stereotypes are based on historical issues rather than how they live in the modern world. Some of the issues are offensive and the Natives do not respond well to them. They include factors such as stereotyping the Native Americans as primitive, rapists, deceptive or criminal. Since there is a high rate of alcoholism among the Native Americans most people have stereotyped all of them to be addicted to alcohol a fact that is misleading (Ransom 107). This is an issue that is wrong and unethical considering that a greater population has been civilized and educated over the years. However, some issues are good, example the stereotype that Native Americans possess a lot of knowledge in medicine by using resources provided by nature, or that they are brilliant, wise, and innovative Contributions of Native Americans to Modern America The Native Americans have made tremendous contributions that are important to the modern world. Their inventions are still used today by scientists, doctors, teachers and even students. History shows that the Native Americans were the first people to create the world’s most advanced calendar, an also to observe that sun is in the centre of the universe. They were so obsessed with time and them making such discoveries was so beneficial to them (Wissler 105). As a matter of fact the Europeans liked the discoveries so much that they adopted them. It is a fact these inventions are still important today and clocks, watches and calendars are found everywhere in the world. The Natives also created the first calculator. The gadget is still used today in mathematics, economics, physics and other numerical sciences. The Natives also possessed a lot of knowledge in medicine. Most drugs in the medicine world today were used by the Natives. They invented geometry and also various writing systems which have documented to be twelve (Pritzker 56). Contributions to history, Education and Government Native Americans are no doubt the first people to inhabit the United States, their rich history their rich history has over the years been taught in schools, Colleges and Universities. The Natives contributed a lot towards shaping the American Revolution by participating in warfare, making allies and signing treaties. They fought either for or against the Europeans depending on the signed treaties and the benefits that would come after such wars (Stubben 48). Even though it was not in the Unites states the two largest pyramids were created by the Natives in Mexico. Many sports in the United States were invented by Native Americans particularly the Olmecs who discovered how to make rubber in 1700BC. They also invented road systems and the wheel. The Natives were also good in business and they traded with the Europeans during colonization. They used Gold, silver bronze and copper to trade and their systems of trading have been used to the present day. Other smaller contributions include discovery of mirrors, cotton, cocoa, vanilla, and bubblegum (McCary 89). Education was compulsory in every Native American homestead. Children and adults alike attended classes under the trees to be taught by elders who were perceived to be very wise. Women were taught about family life and keeping homesteads while men were taught tactics of warfare, how to be warriors, governance, medicine and nature. Children were taught languages, mathematics, religion, hunting and gathering among others. Their value on education influenced the Europeans to adopt education (Bowman 112). Studies show that Europeans ancestors never loved education. It is through this system of education that education exists today. The Natives also had a system of Governance led by elders. The elders had their ministers who served the people on various issues including war, security and food. There was a chief elder who was in charge of elders of various clans. Together they formed a council of elders. They had a constitution that governed them and system of voting for their elders. In fact the Constitution that governs the United States was influenced by the constitution of the Iroquois. Their concept of governance is used by many Governments in the world and has served as a model for distribution of power (McCary 70). Conservation, Military Service and Economy The Native Americans valued nature and environment so much that they always strived to live in harmony with seasons. They ensured that they took from nature only what they required either for food or other tools. In the armed forces of the United States, the population of Native Americans is more than that of any other race (Wildenthal 181). They have served since the founding of the nation to world war one and two and have continued to serve even in the present. The Native Americans have contributed to the national economy over the years. They love trading and in this way contribute to the national income. Those who trade in oil and those who run casinos have made a fortune for themselves and their families (Barnes 76). Conclusion The Native Americans history culture and beliefs have continued to diminish due to adoption of modernity. Majority of Native Americans don’t know their history and culture and are facing a risk of becoming extinct. This is because failure of children to learn their native language, leads to death of the languages just like endangered species. The modern America has continued to view the history through the Europeans; this is because the European invasion, which was the etiology of American Revolution, led to diminished history and culture of the Native Americans (Bowman 51). The killing of their civilizations and replacement by a dominant white civilization has made it difficult to study and gather information about their religious beliefs and cultures. The Native Americans are not only found in the United states but also in Canada, Mexico and the continent of South America where they form a majority they are known as Native Americans because they were the first people to inhabit America before anyone else. They lived in peace and harmony until the arrival of Europeans in the 15th century where they started contracting diseases and developed conflict with the Europeans. Their numbers have greatly diminished from a very populous group to 1.4 percent of the United States population. Works Cited Barnes, Celia. Native American Power in the United States, 1783-1795. Madison N.J. Fairleigh Dickinson university press, 2003. Print. Bowman, David. Native Americans of the Eastern Woodlands. Pelham, NY: Benchmark Education, 2010. Print. Bright, William. Native American Placenames of Virginia. Norman: University of Oklahoma, 2004. Print. Carney, Cary M. Native American Higher Education in the United States. New Brunswick, N.J: Transaction Publishers, 2007. Print. Daniel, Alan D. The Super Summary of World History: With a Strong Emphasis on Western European and American History. S.l.: Xlibris Corp, 2008. Print. Fixico, Donald L. Treaties with American Indians: An Encyclopedia of Rights, Conflicts, and Sovereignty. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2008. Internet resource. McCary, Ben C. Indians in Seventeenth Century. Baltimore, Md: Reprinted for Clearfield Co. by Genealogical Pub. Co, 1995. Print. Pritzker, Barry A. Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples. Oxford [u.a.: Oxford Univ. Press, 2000. Print. Ransom, Daphne, Ken Tunell, Janet A. Hale, and Denice Adorno. Native Americans: Thematic Unit. Westminster, CA: Teacher Created Resources, Inc, 2006. Print. Stubben, Jerry D. Native Americans and Political Participation: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2005. Print. Wildenthal, Bryan H. Native American Sovereignty on Trial: A Handbook with Cases, Laws, and Documents. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2002. Print. Wissler, Clark. Indians of the United States: Four Centuries of Their History and Culture. Safety Harbor: Simon publications, 2001. Print. Read More