Abstract Discusses conflicts between religioius practitioners of Peyotism and American laws and society. First Amendment protection vs. traditional use of psychedelic drug (peyote/mescal). History of Peyotism; its rites & ceremonies. Its religious significance. Its social & cultural characteristics. The Ghost Dance. Sense of identity. Actions of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) & traditional Christian missionaries. Current legal status of the religion of Peyotism.
From the Paper "Peyotism is the largest religion started, organized, and directed by and for Native Americans and gets its title from the fact that members of the religion use the peyote -- sometimes referred to as mescal -- in their ceremonies, a point that has caused fascinating legal challenges between those supporting the First Amendment protection of freedom of religious practice in the United States and those who wish to prohibit the use of hallucinogenic drugs for what they see as recreational (or at least on-medicinal) purposes. Peyotism has also brought the Native Americans into conflict with mainstream society, and one might speculate that part of the reason that the followers of peyotism have been so adamant in their insistence on using it is the Indians' wish to wrest some control of ceremony and cultural identity back from the society that tried so hard for so many years ..."
Examines and compares the novels "Hope Leslie" by Catharine Maria Sedgwick and James Fenimore Cooper's "The Last of the Mohicans" and the way they address the question of Native Americans.
Abstract This paper examines two classic 19th century American novels in order to identify the dramatically different manner in which each author views the cultural conflict between whites and Native Americans. This paper examines the role of race, interracial marriage, and the point-of-view of white vs. Indian characters through the characters in the novels.
From the Paper "Almost since the moment white settlers landed on the continent of North America, Americans have grappled with the question of how to coexist with the country’s native inhabitants. The debate on this subject reached a fever pitch in the 1820s as the nation struggled to formulate some type of comprehensive Indian policy. Should the Indians simply be herded westward, or should Americans strive for some type of coexistence? In 1827 Catharine Maria Sedgwick penned her novel "Hope Leslie" to counteract what she saw as the rising support for an aggressive Indian policy caused in part by the stereotypes of Indians presented in such popular novels as James Fenimore Cooper’s "The Last of the Mohicans." By examining these two novels, one can see how the authors present opposing views of the conflict between whites and Native Americans."
Tags: american, conflict, cultural, race, marriage, indian
Abstract The writer of this paper discusses why unemployment is the most destructive problem among Native Americans. It examines the history of this problem and analyzes some of the sociological and political causes of unemployment in the Native American communities.
From the Paper "Most Native Americans suffer high unemployment rates and incredible poverty. In fact, Native Americans face higher unemployment rates than another other ethnic minority in America today (Morrison 122). "Tribal leaders say unemployment is one of the biggest problems facing Native Americans" (Nurnberger and Naylor). Unemployment among Native Americans, especially on the reservations, can reach 50 percent or even higher, and with current national unemployment higher than it has been since the 1980s, the problem for both urban and rural Native Americans does not show any signs of improving."
Abstract This paper discusses how Mary Rowlandson, Hannah Dustin, and Mary Jamison, were each in their own way, able to cope with their captivity. The paper discusses whether the captivity strengthened their understanding of Native Americans. It also looks at why some captives were treated harshly and others as family or tribal members. In addition, the paper explores why Native Americans took captives.
From the Paper "The story of Mary Jamison's capture is quite different from the other women's experiences. Mary Jamison was taken captive by the Shawnee tribe while she was still a teenager. Her family was killed and the tribe adopted her as their own. Jamison actually became a part of the tribe and took a husband and had children. Jamison coped with her captivity by assimilating into the tribe that held her captive. Her ability to be a part of the tribe allowed her to cope with the loss of her family and her captivity."
Abstract This paper will discuss the issue of African Americans and indigenous peoples in colonial and the slavery of the South. By understanding the certain principles of slave behavior, economic factors, and the roles of slaves in these periods of history, we can assemble an analysis of early America in this way.
Abstract This three-page undergraduate paper discusses in what ways the movie "The Last of the Mohicans" is an accurate and inaccurate depiction of colonial America.
Abstract This paper briefly explores the cultural differences between the Cherokee and the Blackfoot in relation to sex and gender. It looks at their attitudes towards a woman's role in the family, education, the duty of the husband and wife to reproduce, and discusses how their cultures were also affected by exterior forces.
From the Paper "Many Native American Indians maintained a gender division of labor and social roles "long before the arrival of Europeans on the North American continent (Hill, 1995)." These tribes varied in how they viewed the importance of women. Most tribes, such as the Cherokee, kept a division of labor and social roles, while encouraging "each person to value the opposite gender as an integral part of the whole-the family, clan and tribe (Hill, 1995)." Most women were valued for their ability to reproduce and their ritualistic knowledge. As the woman aged, her status in the tribe increased. The elders of the tribe, both men and women, were mainly responsible for educating the youth. Women were held in high regard by the Cherokee and tribal law stated "the penalty for killing a woman was double that for killing a man because of the children she might have borne (unknown, 1998)." "
This paper discusses the economic effects of gambling. Sociological ramifications are only considered as they have direct or indirect consequences on the economy at the local, state, and national levels.
Abstract This paper explains that the gambling industry is associated with large sums of money, which might be one of the top five revenue sources for certain states and is an important source of income to many Native American tribes that operate casinos located on their land. The author points out that the gaming association is a very powerful lobby, which wants to introduce legalized gambling into every state. The author relates that most studies show the economic impact in a positive light, but a careful perusal of the hidden costs show that maybe the economic impact of gaming in the long run does not meet the expectations. Tables.
From the Paper "The American Gaming Association, in their website (www.americangaming.org) reports that there are more than 433 land-based, river-based and racetrack casinos scattered throughout eleven states. The gaming associations claim that they bring huge revenues to the state in the order of several billion dollars. In addition, gaming also provides the states strapped for cash with much needed revenues from state taxes from a nationwide low of 6.25 in Nevada to a high of 35 per cent in the state of Illinois. These huge sums of money did not include the numerous smaller casinos whose gross annual revenues were one million dollars or less."
Abstract This paper is about the book, "Lakota Woman" by Mary Crow Dog. The paper looks at how Mary Crow Dog's account of the struggles of Native American women is not only about the struggles of traditional Native American women, but of Native American women, in general, as well. The paper summarizes Mary Crow Dog's description of how Native American women were treated within their tribes, the treatment of the Native American population by the U.S. government, the history of the Lakota people, and Mary Crow Dog's account of her own life.
From the Paper "The differentiated gender roles required women to be sexually submissive to their counterparts at a given whim. Rapes on reservations were and still are a big scandal. Mary talks about her desire for commitment in sexual relationships, unfortunately the men wanted no part of her philosophy. "If you didn't cooperate then they were no longer interested in you as a person" (Crow Dog 68). The men went from woman to woman without thought of remaining loyal to one special someone. The Lakota men appear mean, yet magnificent at the same time. They were incredibly brave in defending Sioux women against the outside world but within Sioux culture they treated themselves as all-powerful and ignored the autonomy of women."
Abstract This film study brings forth a brief history of Native American filmmaking in the last one hundred years. According to the paper, the early teens of the 20th century brought forth James Young Deer, but after World War I, white Americans in power soon sought to diminish the role of Native Americans in leadership positions, such as director. The slow and often racist agenda for native Americans took a secondary role to western that exploited Indians as obstacles for Manifest Destiny.
From the Paper "This film study will analyze the Native American film history and how it had influenced the major film industry of America. For the past one hundred years, Native Americans have played a part in helping to shape the creation of screenplays, directorial approaches, and other elements in the American filmmaking process. By learning of the various directors and actors in this genre, one can realize the major impact Native Americans had on Hollywood. In essence, this study will bring forth an analysis of the history of Native American filmmaking, and its influences on American filmmaking within the past one hundred years. The first half of the 20th century was a difficult tie for Native Americans, as they were mostly left out of filmmaking within the major industry markets."
