Systematic Racism of Native Americans
Chris Day
October 20, 2005
Sociology 3365-001: Ethnic Minorities in America
Systematic Racism of Native Americans
One of the darkest subject matters in United States history is the government's policy toward Native Americans. When European settlers first landed in North America they depended on Native Americans to give them food, trade for skins, and teach them how to gather food. Without the help of friendly Native Americans the possibility of any colony surviving, much less thriving, would be virtually impossible. However, once the colonies were self-dependent the colonists felt like they had a God given right to the land that the very people who helped them survive lived upon. Since that time Native Americans have been pushed off their land, had vast majorities of their population wiped out by disease and warfare, are discriminated against and stereotyped, and now live in extreme poverty with high rates of unemployment, alcoholism, and suicide. To add insult to injury, even though our government participated in the shoddy treatment of Native Americans people don't realize this is what happened. In schools today children are taught that North America was "discovered" by Christopher Columbus, rather than teaching them Native Americans lived in North America for perhaps thousands of years. They are taught about Thanksgiving and told that Native Americans and pilgrims have always been friendly with each other, and then draw turkey hands to celebrate. Today the thought of Native Americans seems far from most people's minds. A lot of people would like to believe that Native Americans got what they wanted, that they ended up with a piece of land to live on, and should now be able to assimilate and live like other Americans. This isn't the case. Native Americans currently reside on only 2.5% of the land they once lived freely on. Most of this land is barren and unproductive, unless there are minerals discovered that the United States didn't know about when it
October 20, 2005
Sociology 3365-001: Ethnic Minorities in America
Systematic Racism of Native Americans
One of the darkest subject matters in United States history is the government's policy toward Native Americans. When European settlers first landed in North America they depended on Native Americans to give them food, trade for skins, and teach them how to gather food. Without the help of friendly Native Americans the possibility of any colony surviving, much less thriving, would be virtually impossible. However, once the colonies were self-dependent the colonists felt like they had a God given right to the land that the very people who helped them survive lived upon. Since that time Native Americans have been pushed off their land, had vast majorities of their population wiped out by disease and warfare, are discriminated against and stereotyped, and now live in extreme poverty with high rates of unemployment, alcoholism, and suicide. To add insult to injury, even though our government participated in the shoddy treatment of Native Americans people don't realize this is what happened. In schools today children are taught that North America was "discovered" by Christopher Columbus, rather than teaching them Native Americans lived in North America for perhaps thousands of years. They are taught about Thanksgiving and told that Native Americans and pilgrims have always been friendly with each other, and then draw turkey hands to celebrate. Today the thought of Native Americans seems far from most people's minds. A lot of people would like to believe that Native Americans got what they wanted, that they ended up with a piece of land to live on, and should now be able to assimilate and live like other Americans. This isn't the case. Native Americans currently reside on only 2.5% of the land they once lived freely on. Most of this land is barren and unproductive, unless there are minerals discovered that the United States didn't know about when it