PART 3 Summary & Review
SUMMARY
Native Americans live rich, complex lives. Once Europeans made initial contact, they identified indigenous peoples as inferior, savage, and unworthy of the land they had already been on for countless years. Tribes were decimated by disease and war. Once the U.S. was established, Americans embarked on a campaign of conquest, removal, and relocation of Native Americans. Next, the U.S. government shifted policies to assimilation. Now, in the modern era, the remaining hundreds of Native American groups are still holding onto their cultures and heritages. They are tirelessly working within U.S. institutions to reclaim tribal land and wealth.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
- What kinds of societies existed in the Americas in pre-colonial times?
- Describe the initial interactions between Europeans and indigenous peoples. Where they positive or negative? Who benefitted from these interactions?
- How did American westward expansion impact Native American populations?
- In what ways did Native Americans assert their civil liberties during the civil rights movements of the 20th century?
- Has the federal government sought to repair and restore relations with Native Americans in modern times? Why or why not?
