Chapter Six
Understanding the Native
American Experience
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Draw a picture of what think about
when you hear Indians/Native
Americans
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Native American Values
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Respect
Respect
Respect
Respect
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Mother Earth
the Great Spirit
our fellow man and woman
for individual freedom
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Who are Indigenous Peoples
or Nations?
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They are the original peoples of given
territories.
The term nation denotes a socio-political
construct of European nature but the concept
carries with it considerable importance in
international debates.
Nation as used in this chapter is not
according to size but according to culture.
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Early Native American Nations
Workplace Diversity: Taken from http://xavianthaze.blogspot.com/2013/03/forensic-science-proves-that-famous.html
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Current Native American
“Nations”
Workplace Diversity: Taken from http://www.nps.gov/NAGPRA/DOCUMENTS/ResMAP.HTM
What about indigenous people
in the U.S.?
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Treaty relationships do exists between
the U.S. and indigenous nations where
the indigenous nations retain separate
land bases and exercise some degree of
self government.
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After the establishment of the Holy
Roman Empire but prior to the
colonial travels of Europeans to the
New world
Distinctions were drawn by
Europeans between various
peoples of the known world in
terms of Christians or “infidels”.
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What is the Law of Nations?
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The historical operation of a system of legal
norms and standards, ordained by a handful
of states and imposed upon the
overwhelming majority of the world’s people
without their consent or input.
Colonial or settler states had the right to
impose their particular definition of just or
equitable relations between peoples on the
majority of humankind and call it “law”.
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What was one such law that
impacted Native Americans?
The legal definition of a “Discover”
 A discoverer could legally occupy a
territory that was already inhabited (by
infidels) and extend Christian
sovereignty over it.
 This should explain why Columbus
“discovered” a land that was already
inhabited.
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Discoverers concept rejected then
came the Principles of Conquest and
Effective Possession
This was the justification for extension of
Christian sovereignty that was based
upon the attitude that infidels were the
enemies of Christian civilizations and
that non-believers could be
dispossessed of their territories
justifiably by subjugation through wars
of conquest called “Just Wars”
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Notable defenders of the rights of
non-Christians to maintain control
over their properties
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Thomas Aquinas(1200’s) and Sinibaldo Fiesco
believed in peaceful integration and
conversion of infidels, not violence
Matias de Paz suggested that due ignorance
of Christianity Indians could legally resist any
war
Hugo Grotius believed in the equality of
nations
Spanish jurist Franciscus de Victoria believed
in the sovereignty of indigenous people
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The status of indigenous
nations in the U.S.
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The first U.S. colonists were greeted
without exception by native people with
friendship and openness as Columbus
had before them.
In return indigenous nations were
confronted with racism, massacres,
religious bigotry and systematic fraud.
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What was the genocide of
Native Americans really
about?
Acquisition of land contained by
“savages” or “infidels”. Land is
one of the three major economic
resources that leads to economic
prosperity.
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What is Manifest Destiny?
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What is Manifest Destiny and how does
it relate to “who” could acquire land?
The expansion of the U.S. was fueled
by this racist philosophy based upon
color that all who were of the “white
race” were superior.
Therefore, the white race had the right
to seize and occupy all of North
America.
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How do you maintain control
over Indigenous people?
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Political Colonization (Major Crimes Act
of 1885, General Allotment Act of 1887,
Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, Indian
Reorganization Act of 1934)
Economic Colonization – U.S. has two
trust obligations one to indigenous
people and the other to the Pacific
Trust Territory
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Legislation
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Major Crimes Act of 1885
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Gave federal jurisdiction for specific crimes
General Allotment Act of 1887 (Dawes
Act)
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Land allocation
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Indian Citizenship Act of 1924
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Gave citizenship to those born in U.S. limits
Indian Reorganization Act of 1934
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increasing Indian self-government and
responsibility
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Native American Myths
All American Indians AND Alaskan Natives
live on reservations and in tepees.
American Indians and Alaskan Natives
receive checks from the government.
Existing legal status of American Indians,
their people and their government, is
the product of accepted principles of
international law and equity.
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Myths (cont.)
American Indians are a defeated people.
American Indians are now rich due to
gaming on their lands.
The “Allotment Act” (the Dawes Act of
1887) was passed to civilize American
Indians by making them private
property owners.
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Myths (cont.)
Thanksgiving is a day of rejoicing for
Native Americans because it marks the
advent of a mutually beneficial
relationship between European settlers
and Native People.
Given America’s terrible historical
treatment of Native Americans, they are
now treated fairly and are a valued
ethnicity in this country treated with
dignity throughout history books.
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How does modern society
benefit from Native Americans?
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Ecology
Food
Games
Form of government
Words
Sign Language
Mathematics
Medicines
Inventions
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How does modern society
benefit from Native Americans?
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Who is Native American?
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Iroquois Constitution
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True or False
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Freeburg Midgets
Orofino Maniacs
Pekin Chinks
Centralia Orphans
Laurel Hill Hoboesoachella Valley Arabs
Robstown Cottonpickers
Akron East Orientals
Frisco Coons
Smithville Crackers
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Name this team
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What does it mean?
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Savages
Squaw
Redskins
Braves
Chiefs
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