Native American Prejudice Essay Research Paper Koeneman

Native American Prejudice Essay, Research Paper

Koeneman 1

Adam J.E. Koeneman

English 190-28

Professor Engles

November 4, 1996

Prejudice Against Native Americans

These people began migrating 30 thousand old ages before Christopher Colombus

& # 8220 ; discovered & # 8221 ; the Americas. Native Americans migrated from Asia, traversing a land span

where the Bering Strait off the seashore of Alaska is today. Over the centuries these people

spread throughout the continents of North and South America. Since the reaching of the

Europeans in 1492 the American Indian has been dehumanized, decivilized and redefined

into footings that represent a dominate European position. The Spanish adventurers under

Colombus were the first to utilize the footings & # 8220 ; Indian & # 8221 ; to intend a Native American. These

adventurers were under the false feeling that the had reached the West Indies. This term

is still used today.

From the first interaction with the native peoples the Europeans inatiated laterality

and high quality. There are three typical grounds that the Europeans were able to

dominate and subsequently oppress the Native American civilization such as ; the Native American

relgious beleifs and patterns, the deficiency of interaction between Native Americans autonomic nervous systems

Europeans and the deficiency of orginization of the Indian folk. All of these facets had a

strong influence the Europeans to go dominate figures on the Native American land.

These factors can still be attributed for the manner that Native Americans are viewed in

society today.

After the Revolutionary War the new United States authorities sought to derive land

through pacts. The payment offered for the land was far from just, nevertheless, and when

Native Americans resisted the resignation of their fatherland the US authorities merely

used superior military power to evict them. The Europenas knew nil of the new

civilisations they encountered. Most Native American folk viewed the lands they

occupied to be no one adult male & # 8217 ; s belongings. They believied that they were alowed to busy it

by the grace of the & # 8220 ; Great Spirit & # 8221 ; , in return the folks took attention of the land the used.

Normally Native Americans harbored a great regard for the land they were allowed to utilize

. When the European leaders attempted to buy this land from the folks the Native

American leaders frequently thought they did non hold the authorization to sell the land. In their

position the land wasn & # 8217 ; t theirs to sell. Often times, payment offered was refused because of

this position The Europeans, on the other manus, did non understand or care to understandthe

Native American manner of life, civilization or doctrine. Alternatively, they saw the land as a great

buisness oppurtunity to be bought and sold. Sometimes payment was accepted because

the American Indians did non to the full understand the effect or deductions of the

sale. It was hard for the Indians to grok the ownership of land because in their

position the land would ever be avaliable for of all time

yone to utilize.

Europeans feared these new people with a apparently barbarous manner of life. The dances

and othe cultural traditions that Native Americans practiced were highly abstract and

foreign to the European colonists. These shows of savageness by the Native Americans

sparkedf fright within many colonists chiefly out of ignoranceto their patterns and cultural

traditions. The Native American life style was, in fact really organized and really practical.

Most American Indians have small or no interaction with the everday life styles of the

mean American citizen. They have been occupants of reserves for about two

cennturies. Two hundred old ages of societal subjugation has to be overcome inorder for the

American Indian socities to go more recognized into our modern civilization. The

bias that American Indians endure challengers that of the African-Americans. In order for

the Native American tribal states to go equal in societal standings ther has to be

reform and awarness of the bias.

Lack of orginization is a strong contributing factor to why Native Americans are

dicriminated against. During the 1960 & # 8217 ; s the Afro-american population united and

fought for reform and equality. This has non yet to the full occured in the Native American

societal puting. Many of the folks still fued with each othe alternatively of seeking to make

societal reform. This is particularly evident during the 1800 & # 8217 ; s when Indian-White dealingss

were particularly full of tenseness. Brainsick Equus caballus, the great Oglala Sioux leader, expressed his

concern for better dealingss between the American Indian folk on his decease bed

( Nabokov 178 ) . The European settlerhad a job understanding the differances

between the folks. Many times they could non grok that one folk of Native

Americans was seperate and sometimes enemies with another folk.

Another major factor that helped develop the dicriminatory positions against Native

Americans was the American Indian spiritual patterns. The Europeans colonists during

1700 & # 8217 ; s and the 1800 & # 8217 ; s were chiefly Christian fundamentalists. They viewed the patterns

of the Native Americans such as dnaces, forfeits and other spiritual regulations as

against traditional Judeo-christian moralss. The Europeans would recognizethese dances as

Acts of the Apostless of immorality. They did non take into consideration the Native American spiritual beleifs of

harmoniousness, integrity and equality in all things.

The last signifigant cause in why the Native Americans are dicriminated against are

the footings used to depict their race. The term Native American refers to 100s of

distinguishable societies- including ; Aluets, Eskimos, Cherokee, Zuni, Sioux, Mohawk, Aztec and

Incan- who foremost settled the Western hemisphere. Indians in today & # 8217 ; s society are frequently

looked down upon every bit non as productive or non every bit stable as other civilizations. The high

alcohol addiction rates and the 3rd universe life conditions found on reserves do non

better the footings used to depict the American Indian.

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