Abstract Discusses policies of assimilation and self-determination, the federal government's role, the belief that white culture was superior to Native American cultural customs, and the failure of non-reservation boarding schools to assimilate Native Americans.
From the Paper "The history of Native American education is characterized by the policies of assimilation and self-determination. From 1778 to 1871, the federal government signed more than 370 treaties with various groups of Native Americans in which the government..."
Abstract Discusses ancient Indian cultures. Covers the initial welcoming of Europeans by Native Americans, ensuing conflicts, Native American culture, and the"Confederation" document of the Iroquois nation, which included a voting system.
From the Paper "For centuries before the white man set foot on American soil, Native Americans, had been living in America. When the Europeans came here, there were probably about 10 million Indians populating America ..."
Abstract Examines the evolution of the artistic production from the early traditional form of the Hopi to the late action form and the commodification by the Western world. Discusses the religious and cultural symbolism of the Katsinam, the Hopi culture, and the spiritual meaning of Katsina.
From the Paper "For several decades, the Hopis' Katsina dolls and other artistic representations have captured the imagination of art collectors and museum curators from all over the world with their vivid colors,..."
Abstract Describes traditional community, matrilineal social structure, and the underlying causes of transformation of the values and practices of kinship system from the end of the 19th century. Explores the role of Europeans and the federal government.
From the Paper "The topic of this paper is the changes in the kinship system of the Cherokee community. In order to understand the significance of the status of the kinship system of the Cherokee Indian tribe during the period from the end of the 19th century to today, ..."
Abstract Discusses the warrior people and most powerful Indian tribe in Ohio, the early history of the Miami, why they became a migratory people, Chief Little Turtle and his defeat of two American armies, and the retaliation by U.S. government.
From the Paper "The existence of the Miami Indians was recorded by French explorers and missionaries as far back as the early seventeenth century. In 1700 the Miami moved into Maumee Valley. They were migratory people and were part of a ..."
Abstract This paper demonstrates how Hurtado's book successfully diminished popular ideas about the Native American experience in California, replacing stereotypes of submissive native slaves with images of working and raiding Indians who helped to shape California history. Hurtado's Native Californians emerged, not as victims of Anglo society, but as active participants in California's history. This paper also describes how the Indian experience shaped Native American culture today.
From the Paper "In Albert Hurtado's book, he discusses how native life and culture survived through this time, how the survivors managed to adapt to white society, and how the whites treated the Indians. Hurtado provides an interesting perspective of the California Indians, painting them as active participants in this culture, rather than victims of the dominant white society."
Abstract This paper examines how much pressure is on some tribes to give up their natural resources. It explains that tribal lands across America are covered with a wealth of natural resources, and because of this, tribal lands have always been vulnerable to attack from outsiders and the federal government. It explains that if the resources are valuable enough, they are worth fighting for. It discusses how many Native American tribes have had to fight hard for their rights and the rights to their own natural resources.
From the Paper "In Idaho, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's ancient tribal lands were overrun with silver mines in the nineteenth century, and when the mines played out, all that remained was the environmental damage, as this writer notes. "Over a one-hundred year period, the mining industry in northern Idaho's Silver Valley wiped out most natural life in the Coeur d'Alene River Basin by dumping seventy-two million tons of mining waste into the Coeur d'Alene watershed (Althouse, 2001, p. 721). In 1991, the tribe began their own restoration project, and also filed a lawsuit against several mining companies which resulted in the largest ever natural resource damage suit in U.S. history. The Coeur d'Alene are also fighting about who controls the waters and the water quality of Lake Coeur d'Alene, and they were awarded control in 2000 by the courts (Althouse, 2001, p. 721)."
Abstract This paper is based on the importance of conserving the tribal lands and how much pressure is on some tribal lands to give up their natural resources. This paper then covers the reasons why it is important to conserve the tribal lands and what culture and heritage the lands carry forward.
From the Paper "The legacy of Native Americans is one of the most important heritages of American history and culture. Native Americans have traditionally had a land-based culture. Their land is their prime resource and fulfills a further objective of promoting their heritage and culture. Therefore, the importance of conserving the sites of traditional value for these tribes is of utmost importance. By protecting these sites, one can conserve the cultural, spiritual as well as the economical status of the Native Americans."
Tags: tribe, mines, gold, silver, culture, heritage, site
Abstract This paper looks at the controversy of cross-racial adoptions. In particular, the paper looks at the arguments posed by Native Americans that oppose the adoption of Native American children by Caucasians.
From the Paper "The issue of cross-racial adoptions, where parents of one race adopt a child from another race, has been controversial for some time. Both African-Americans and Native Americans point to abuses in the history of the United States. They often feel that Caucasian parents should not raise children of their race. The difficulty is that there are more children of color to be adopted than there are parents of the same race ready, able and willing to adopt them."
Abstract Before American society become liberated and independent from British rule, two important events became the catalyst for social and political changes that occurred within the American nation: the American Revolution (1775-1783) and the American Civil War (1860). These significant events in American history contributed to the liberation of America as a nation and the independence of marginalized sectors in America, the native American-Indians and African-Americans. This paper discusses the impact of the American Revolution and American Civil War in encouraging/discouraging the emancipation of the American Indians and African-Americans from prejudice and discrimination in the American society. In addition, this paper also focuses on the implications of the emancipation or non-emancipation of these sectors to the future of American society and nation.
From the Paper "However, over time, a strong public sentiment began forming as atrocities against the black slaves were exposed to the American nation. Because of strong public sentiment against black American slavery and continuing conflict between the South and North, the American Civil War erupted, and the anti-slavery vs. pro-slavery conflict ended with the issuance of the Emancipation Declaration of 1863 by then US President Abraham Lincoln. Thus, African-Americans, unlike the native American-Indians, were able to achieve their freedom from American rule and colonization, bringing down social prejudice and discrimination of the African-American sector in the American society and nation."
A look at the historical importance of Barbara Graymont's book in understanding the relationship between the Native Americans and the locals in the American Revolution.
Abstract This paper examines how the role of the Iroquois Confederacy in the American Revolution and the fate of native peoples in its wake is a topic often overlooked by historians. In Barbara Graymont's work, "The Iroquois in the American Revolution", Graymont attempts to shed light on the underlying issues of the American Revolution, more specifically, the effect of that conflict on the cultural identity and tribal unity of the Iroquois peoples. It shows how "The Iroquois in the American Revolution" examines the struggle between Britain and the thirteen colonies to attain the loyalty of the Iroquois, as well as the impending disintegration of the long-standing confederacy. This paper critiques Graymont's work by analyzing important factors such as her biases, sources, background, assumptions, and overall knowledge of the topic at hand, as well as to examine alternate viewpoints of the subject and the relevance of this topic to our course.
From the Paper "To successfully analyse and evaluate a historical work such as The Iroquois in the American Revolution, one must first examine the background of the author, in this case, Barbara Graymont, as well as the type and credibility of the sources used to research the topic and construct the work. Barbara Graymont, a white American author, is an associate professor of history in the United States. Graymont is also an honorary member of the Indian Defense League of America, a position which she achieved through acquaintance with and professional ties to many present day Iroquois in America.1 In light of the fact that Graymont has definite ties to native peoples, a reader would expect to see evidence of favouritism and sympathy toward the Natives as well as more strict criticism of the white peoples involved. Such cases are evident throughout the work. For example, in her prologue, Graymont uses the term Visutskie 2 "pawns"2 to describe the utter usage of the Native peoples by both the British and the Americans in their attempts to defeat the other. In another instance, Graymont's table of contents is valuable in determining exactly who and what the book was written for. The table of contents makes it quite obvious to the reader that Graymont is quite intent on educating the reader about Native culture and that each chapter centres around Native peoples and their roles in not only the American Revolution but in everyday life alongside the white settlers. Graymont makes reference to both the British and the Americans using bribery with alcohol and other presents, promises of military protection, and even grants of land taken from the Natives in the first place to try and win the Natives as allies."
Abstract This paper discusses the importance of conserving tribal lands and the pressure that is put on some tribal peoples to give up their natural resources. The paper also looks at how the land helps carry forward tribal culture and heritage.
From the Paper "The Aw? of Brazil are Brazil's last nomadic tribe that lives in the forests of the Eastern Amazon (www.survival-international.org/awa). These forests, as with much of South America's tropical forest, is being destroyed at an incredible rate, by logging companies, and by large farming conglomerates; as such, the native homeland of the Aw? is being lost, meaning that their nomadic lifestyle is threatened, and also that potentially, the Aw? themselves are in danger of being wiped out altogether."
Abstract This paper examines how studies have shown how Native American and Alaska Native children have twice the rate of death caused by injuries or violence as do other children in the United States. It looks at how more Native American and Alaska Native children are hospitalized for bronchial infection than any other group, how the diabetes rate among these adults and children is double that of the rest of the country, and how cancer rates among those in some regions are also significantly higher. It discusses the importance for Native Americans to be informed and educated on these issues so that they may better understand how these disease processes may alter or impact their lives and how it is also important that policy makers and elected officials understand the unique concerns of the Native American populations of the U.S. and address those problems with adequate financial, material, and human resources.
From the Paper "There are persistent racial and ethnic disparities in infant mortality rates in the United States. Despite much speculation, no evidence suggests that social, economic, or racial/ethnic disparities in the risk of death in infancy are caused by genetic differences. Any discussion of racial and ethnic differences in birth outcomes needs to acknowledge the limited extent to which social and economic variables - including racial discrimination - can be distinguished from crude proxies for biologically determined pathologic pathways (Krieger et al 1993, Herman 1996). The racial and ethnic categorizations used in most research on infant mortality in the United States should be seen as "proxies for specific historical experiences and a powerful marker for current social and economic conditions"."
Abstract This paper gives a brief account of the origins, culture, society, and history of the Sioux Indians. The paper follows their history up to present-day conditions and talks briefly about Sioux society and culture today.
From the Paper "Of all the North American Indians that lived and survived on the prairies and plains, the Sioux are the most popular and widely known. Their area of habitation ranged from the Mississippi valley in the east to the Rocky Mountains of the west and from the Saskatchewan River in Canada to the Rio Grande in the south. The cultural traits which came to characterize the High Plains Indians were dependent on bison, a limited use of roots and berries, limited fishing, and the skillful use of bison and deerskin for clothing and shelter. However, this culture was also dependent upon the introduction of the horse and to a lesser extent on changes in tribal locations farther east, and "together with the introduction of firearms, the fur trade and the trading of goods, the Plains Indians experienced continuous change from the 17th century and well into the later years of the 19th century in America" (Lund, 67)."
Abstract This paper explains that the Shinnecock Indians, stricken by poverty and cultural predation that stripped them of their ancestral lands and any economic hope for the future, have no hope for the future unless they establish a casino. The author points out that the Shinnecocks are controlled, and to some degree marginalized, by the local law and state government because they are not recognized fully as a tribe by the federal government and, therefore, do not have the same rights and privileges of self-determination that many federally recognized tribes enjoy. The paper relates that the opponents to this casino are the wealthy Hampton residents who seem to worry about property values and community morals, but are not concerned about denying self-reliance and determination to the tribal people.
From the Paper "The Shinnecock have a proud and noble heritage, which predates their current impoverished state. However, historically the tribe has been taken advantage of by white Europeans and the new American government and settlers. They have consistently lost control of their native lands, in a series of unequal land swaps and hostile takeovers initiated by the white men and their government, which have also caused them to lose control of their economy. As one tribes spokesman says of the land swaps: ?They built on our ancestors bones and we never really did anything to stop it.? "
