Struggle of the Native Americans

The whites always believed they were right. They wanted to take the Native Americans land away and control them. Americans believed the best thing was for the Indians to follow their religion and assimilate and learn the “American way”. The Americans were always fighting the Indians unfairly, just to contradict them and prove that they have the last say in everything.

During the 1800s Americans came to the Sioux land in Minnesota, wanting to take their land away to make it their own and send the Indians to reservations. The Indians were fooled into signing The Treaty of Traverse de Sioux, which since most of them did not know how to write they did by just holding the pen. The Indians were promised to be given help with schools, trade and farming, and also they were promised to be given money, these promises were broken by the Americans. The Indians felt betrayed by the whites. The Native Americans were being told what to do by people who were unknown to them and people who did not respect their beliefs. The Indians had no other option but to sign the treaty they either sign the treaty and got their land taken away or they either took it away without their “approval”.

The Americans paid attention to every step the Native Americans took. They slowly tried to take away every bit of their culture. The Americans wanted the Indians to become Christians. They found out the Native Americans were doing their Ghost Dance and forced them to stop, which had a really big significance to their beliefs.  They wanted all the Indians to have “ Christian names ” and they did not even get to choose their names. Even though the Native Americans went through a lot they tried to stay loyal to their religion. The Americans wanted the Indians to learn the “American ways”, they believed it was the best way for the Native Americans. Sitting Bull nor Red Cloud were happy about this, they were both leaders of Native American tribes.

The whites did not make agreements it was either their way or nothing at all. Sitting Bull was murdered for not following the American ways, but his tribe honored him and people have come to known him for being loyal to his culture and Indians ways. The Americans never even took the time to listen to the Indians need. They had no medicine for the Indians they just gave them alcohol to numb the pain, eventually this caused the Indians to become alcoholics and they were slowly dying. The Americans fought the Indians by taking their weapons away and while they outnumbered, which they called a “battle”, but really it was more of a massacre.

Therefore as I stated before Americans did not let the Indians have their own opinion and be independent. The Americans always believed assimilation was the best option for the Indians. Indians were very strong with their believes and culture. The Americans basically wanted to vanish the Indians culture. Eventually the Government realized part of it was their mistake. Unfortunately many Indians today are still living on a poor status and do not get a lot of help from the government.

Red Cloud

Sitting Bull