Native Americans
The history of Native Americans did not begin when the first settlers arrived from Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, in fact, to trace the real history of the Native Americans in North America archeologists and anthropologists have gone back thousands upon thousands of years.
Steeped in tradition and culture, Native Americans living in North America are dated to have first arrived as far back as 15,000 B.C., long before Christopher Columbus set foot on North American soil in 1492.
In fact, it is Christopher Columbus’ mistaken belief that he had landed in India, not North America, that the origin of the term Indian comes from. Today, we recognize that Native Americans is the proper way to refer to these proud and strong people.
A Culture Of Harmony
The Native Americans were at one with nature and the world of the spiritual, living in harmony with the land and a deep commitment to traditions passed down from generation upon generation of Native Americans.
The differing ideals about land and living espoused by the Europeans clashed with the Native Americans, and this led to several conflicts, wars and misunderstandings, a far cry from the harmonious relationship enjoyed by the early settlers and Native Americans.
War, disease and displacement, all brought about by the arrival of the European settlers began to afflict the Native Americans, and their numbers, which once were in the 10s of millions, began to dwindle.
Today, there are more than 500 federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States, more when you add in the state recognized tribes. Though there numbers may be less, their devotion to culture and family and Earth still remains, as does their deep-rooted traditions, passed down from generation upon generation.
Today, many Native Americans live on reservations, land set aside in agreement with the federal government to allow their traditions to continue.
Joseph Paige © 2006
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