The Myth Of The Vanishing Indians

Putting it all together: Representing Indians
America was once consumed by the myth of the “Vanishing Indians”. The myth has dominated so many individuals and has also perpetuated the Americans’ imagination of Indians. Noble or ignoble, Indians had little hope for success and were viewed as forlorn to the non-indians. The myth of the Indians “vanishing” occurred because of their evolutionary inferiority to the “White man”. In modern society, there are still people who believe there are no more “true” Indians, or that Indians have died off completely. Even though Indians are not being portrayed as how they used to be, they have certainly not died off; alternately, they have acclimated and adapted to the presence of European culture and have

quashed the myth.
American Indians in the nineteenth century faced many obstacles whether it was physical, spiritual or emotional. Poverty and dislocation trapped the Indians into the virulent blend of diseases such as measles and scarlet fever. Diseases within the culture only weakened their conditions, and made their population decline rapidly. The American Indians impacted the whole world by setting their determination of fighting together, even with much less advantages than their opponents. Lewis Henry Morgan, a leading American anthropologist who studies the Iroquois intends to support the “vanishing Indian” myth in his book titled Ancient Society in 1877. American Indian tribes represented three distinct ethnical periods. Morgan believes that the Indian institutions are dissolving due to the lack of resources. In his book, he states, “The far northern Indians and some of the coast tribes of North and South America were in the Upper Status of savagery; partially Village Indians east of Mississippi were in Lower Status of barbarism, and the Village Indians of North and South America were in the Middle Status....” It is very evident that Morgan believed the Indian tribes represented three distinct ethnical periods. Although Morgan felt the Native Americans were very important, he refers to them as “ancient history” and “remote ancestors”.
Often times throughout the world, Indian stereotypes are made which further deteriorates the “true” American Indian. Through harsh living conditions, complete hunger, warfare, captivity, and poor health, the American Indians suffered to survive.