Native American Reservation Essay

854 Words2 Pages

Jordyn Ethington SOC 235 Section: History of Native American Reservations For many years, Native Americans have faced horrible social and political mistreatment and discrimination from white Americans. Many Native Americans still deal with discrimination in the United States today. This section of the paper will describe and explain the general history involving the Native American reservations. When the colonists came to America from Europe, there were over 1000 Native American tribes. That number is cut in half today because several tribes were wiped out over the years from disease and lack of recognition from the government. The article Facts about Indian Reservations says even though there are around 565 Native American tribes today, there are only 310 reservations (About.com). This is because some tribes simply do not have a reservation, and some tribes share land. Most of the reservations and west of the Mississippi River and are in the Northwest region of the United States. The natives felt independent and separate from the white settlers. The relationship between natives and whites grew worse as settlers moved further west. In 1851, the Indian Appropriations Act made it legal to form reservations of land, specifically for Native Americans, in what is now Oklahoma. Then, in the 1860s, President Grant came up with a “Peace Policy” that forced natives to relocate to places where they had no historical connections (reservations). The natives, against their will, had to sign these peace treaties and leave their homes. Many tribes tried to go against the law and not relocate, but the United States Army would be sure everyone cooperated. Many wars started because of this including the Sioux War which took place between 1876... ... middle of paper ... ...isease. The Historically, crime in Indian Country has been somewhat ignored by the federal government and incidents are poorly investigated. Gangs and high accounts of rape are common problems on the reservations as well. This could be attributed to the fact that when Native Americans were moved around, sometimes hostile tribes would be placed to live with each other. Alcoholism is most likely the worst problem that takes place. The amount of alcohol related deaths among Native Americans is way higher than the rest of the United States population. Alcoholism among the natives can be related to being diagnosed with other diseases. The history of Native American reservations is devastating and many Native Americans are still bitter about their people’s mistreatment. People of Native American heritage are still discriminated against in certain parts of the country.

Show More
Related

  • Contrasting the Cherokees and the Aztecs

    1697 Words  | 4 Pages

    Native Americans Status Today Native Americans are equal to everyone else in the United States. Most of them are holding steady jobs and living like normal people but some of them still live on Indian reservations and act like they are old time Indians from long ago. Indians became United States citizens in 1901.

    Read More

  • The Red Path And The Sioux Lakota Virtue

    1018 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout ancient history, many indigenous tribes and cultures have shown a common trait of being hunter/gatherer societies, relying solely on what nature had to offer. The geographical location influenced all aspects of tribal life including, spirituality, healing philosophy and healing practices. Despite vast differences in the geographical location, reports show various similarities relating to the spirituality, healing philosophy and healing practices of indigenous tribal cultures.

    Read More

  • Native American Sovereignty Research Paper

    694 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout history the attacks on Native American sovereignty proved to be too much and eventually tribes had to submit. The problems Native American tribes faced when fighting for and dealing with sovereignty in the 18th century are identical to the problems they are facing today. These

    Read More

  • Displacement and Mistreatment of Native Americans

    2250 Words  | 5 Pages

    The removal of Indian tribes was one of the tragic times in America’s history. Native Americans endured hard times when immigrants came to the New World. Their land was stolen, people were treated poorly, tricked, harassed, bullied, and much more. The mistreatment was caused mostly by the white settlers, who wanted the Indians land. The Indians removal was pushed to benefit the settlers, which in turn, caused the Indians to be treated as less than a person and pushed off of their lands. MOREEE

    Read More

  • Rez Life

    1178 Words  | 3 Pages

    Not all the Indians have reservations, but all reservations have Indians. Those reservations settled at the areas usually don’t communicate with outside world a lot in more than thirty of the states. Most of reservations are poor, but there still some of them are rich. Indian lands makes up 2.3 percent of the lands in the united States. Reservation life tells its own story. Many Indians and non-Indians think this story usually is the story of tragedy. Life on the rez is hard, violent, criminal, poor and short. By thinking about what they have lost and what they have survived, the conflicts between whites and Indians are more than Indians and Indians. This is one of the hardship in Rez life. Besides all these unfortunates, the Rez life is all right.

    Read More

  • Native American Women Essay

    944 Words  | 2 Pages

    together for the better of the shared children. The women had a say in how they would help

    Read More

  • Native American Mistreatment Essay

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    Finally, modern issues show that even till today. insults to the Native Americans are happening because of the power the government holds. Modern issues that the Natives Americans face today, are the poor conditions that the reservations they live. There is lack of easy access supply of water and there is hardly and jobs to make and earn money from. Lack of jobs cause some of the Natives to leave the reservations and seek work in other states to be able to provide enough living for their families. Their houses are really run down and small, many insects infest their

    Read More

  • Land, Growth and Justice Essay

    809 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since the beginning of European colonization whites have taken Native American’s lands in order to expand their own settlements. Throughout the years there have been many disputes and up rises because Indians have refused to give up or sell their lands. With an escalating white population, Native American communities have been disintegrated, killed in conflicts, or forced to move into Indian Territories. The year of 1828 would again demonstrate how white settlers would obtain Native American’s lands with the Cherokee Indian Removal. Known as the Trail of Tears, the Cherokees would start their tragic journey to Indian Territory in which thousands of Indians would die along the way and soon after their arrival due to illnesses or violent encounters. The Cherokee Indian Removal was not only cruel but injustice, the Cherokees shouldn’t have ceded their lands because before the removal they attempted to be “civilized” by the Americans giving up their cultural and religious beliefs and the federal government by treaty had to protect Indians from any state oppressions.

    Read More

  • Native American Relations with The United States

    4013 Words  | 9 Pages

    What were the significant treaties, policies, and events that defined US Government and Native American Relations? How did the Native American respond to these treaties, polices, and events historically? How did these treaties, policies, and events affect the subsistence, religion, political, and social structures of the Native American people? I will answer these questions through the examination of two centuries of US history in six time periods that define clear changes in the relationship between the Native American and the US Government.

    Read More

  • The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight In Heaven Analysis

    1143 Words  | 3 Pages

    Native-Americans make up one of the smallest portions of our population, but are still victims of mass incarceration and police brutality Many Native-American reservations have high unemployment rates. Poverty in these areas is also common. Reserved, sacred land for Native-Americans is also disappearing as more and more land is being taken away by United States government. The government also disobeys treaty rights by exploiting their land for natural resources to gain profit. Low graduation rates are common in Native school districts. Suicide is much more prevalent among Native-American youth when compared to the rest of the nation. They also generally receive poor healthcare. Violence and abuse of children and women is more common in Native-American communities as well.

    Read More

  • Native American Spiritual Beliefs

    2347 Words  | 5 Pages

    In approaching this topic, I first realized that I need to look up some general information about Native Americans in the United States. According to the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), there are approximately 564 federally recognized tribes in the United States today (Who we are, n.d). This group does not include tribes that do not have federal recognition but are recognized at the state level.

    Read More

  • Native American Culture Essay

    1765 Words  | 4 Pages

    This paper will discuss the Native American culture and briefly review their history, some beliefs and roles in society today. A short description into their culture with References will be used to show how Native Americans have been affected throughout hundreds of years. The trauma this culture endured has created many barriers, yet one often seen today is their extreme problem with the disease of Alcoholism. The Native American culture has gone through endless struggles, which has cost them to lose so much and still continues to impact them today. They are slowly moving back toward getting benefits that should have been available long ago, but in today’s world Native Americans still battle with many barriers not only in society, but in getting appropriate treatment for mental health or addiction issues.

    Read More

  • The Subjugation Of The American West

    1214 Words  | 3 Pages

    The movement westward during the late 1800’s created new tensions among already strained relations with current Native American inhabitants. Their lands, which were guaranteed to them via treaty with the United States, were now beginning to be intruded upon by the massive influx of people migrating from the east. This intrusion was not taken too kindly, as Native American lands had already been significantly reduced due to previous westward conquest. Growing resentment for the federal government’s Reservation movement could be felt among the native population. One Kiowa chief’s thoughts on this matter summarize the general feeling of the native populace. “All the land south of the Arkansas belongs to the Kiowas and Comanches, and I don’t want to give away any of it” (Edwards, 203). His words, “I don’t want to give away any of it”, seemed to a mantra among the Native Americans, and this thought would resound among them as the mounting tensions reached breaking point.

    Read More

  • Native American Reservation System Essay

    1272 Words  | 3 Pages

    With the exception of a few tribes who were fortunate enough to retain allotments rich with natural resources, the reservation system did nothing but hurt Native Americans. It not only stripped them of their traditional ways of life but it also separated many people from their families. It has contributed to innumerable cases of disease and death and has stripped many of their identity. Many live in an emotional state of limbo because they are not truly accepted in non-Native society nor are they fully accepted within Native society. This is exactly what the U.S. government has been trying to achieve from the beginning; the continuing disruption of Native American society with an endgame of total

    Read More

  • Native American Reservation Life and History

    1235 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sandefur, G. (n.d.). American Indian reservations: The first underclass areas? Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://www.irp.wisc.edu/publications/focus/pdfs/foc121f.pdf

    Read More

More about Native American Reservation Essay

Open Document