Despite the yearning for equality and justice deeply rooted in American ideals, the

Native Americans have been, in countless ways, exploited, discriminated, and disre-

spected ever since the first Europeans dropped their anchors in the calm waters of the east

coast. These wrongdoings include the forced removal of millions of native people from

their homeland, and the systematic destruction of their culture through the industrial re

education of their children.

Columbus, Sullivan, Cortes, Pizarro and various incoming settlers to the new

world had one very important thing in common. Being the first to come in contact with

the Native Americans, they had the opportunity make an impression of understanding,

open mindedness, and cooperation between the Natives and the industrialized cultures of

the East, With more cooperation, a sturdy alliance could have formed, and could easily

exist today. Just think, the Native’s sustainable agricultural practices could have been re-

fined and perfected by the advanced technologies introduced by the settlers. And in turn,

the peaceful, spiritual, loving philosophies that so many Native Americans followed

would have slowly, but surely, softened the greedy, apathetic Europeans. But alas, the

cultivation of a unique conglomerate culture was not their intention, nor was respect, and

so they crushed this potentially rewarding interaction into the jagged beginnings of a

genocide; and into the beginnings of a massive misunderstanding that has loomed over

America for the past half-millennia. From the start, the Europeans have viewed the in-

digenous people as enemies, placed upon this earth to impede progress; and the Native

American has been swept aside in the wake of this progress.

1

Even after 100 years of living under documents such as The Constitution and the

Bill of Rights, America had not realized that, morally, the Native Americans were as enti-

tled to their way of life as the American citizens were. In accordance with these beliefs,

many institutions were created in order to solve the difficult “indian problem”. One of

these institutions was the Board of Indian Commissioners. In 1880, the Board of Indian

Commissioners stated, in their twelfth annual report, that the Natives could not be toler-

ated as they were:

“As a savage we cannot tolerate him any more than as a half-civilized parasite, wan-

derer, vagabond. The only alternative left is to fit him by education for civilized life.

The indian, though a simple child of nature with mental faculties dwarfed and shriv-

eled, while groping his way for generations in the darkness of barbarism, already sees

the importance of education; bewildered by the glare of civilization above and be-

yond his comprehension, he is nevertheless seeking to adjust himself to the new con-

ditions by which he is encompassed....”1

It is through this oppressive language that we see the real reason for the demise

of the Indian culture. Justified assimilation stemmed from the inability to cope with cul-

tures so different from Western Civilization; a doubt of the existence of those who live in

peace and prosperity, despite being less industrially sophisticated. The only successful

society was one that strived for constant advancement, and all who thought otherwise

were savage, and desperately in need of industrial intervention. The only chance for the

2

1 Board of Indian Commissioners. "Indian Education." Print. Rpt. in Americanizing The American Indian. Ed. Francis P. Prucha. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard UP, 1973. 194-95. Print.

Indian’s survival, according to many American lawmakers, was for them to be morphed

and pounded into submission by “Indian schools”.

Included in this forced “adjustment” were some of the most destructive and cruel

acts of ethnic discrimination in the history of the united states. For instance, after being

torn from their families and brought to an “Indian school”, native youths were forced to

remove their hair, which usually hung low on their backs, and which symbolized tribe,

and family respect. Geronimo, a legendary Apache Indian, cut his own hair only after los-

ing his wife and child in a Spanish raid.2 To Geronimo, his traditional hair was a symbol

of his livelihood, and of his history; it was a symbol of his existence. In later photographs

of Geronimo, like in Doc. 1, we see that after that tragedy he never grew out his hair

again.3

Children’s hair was not the only thing that was forcibly removed during Indian

education, though. In the interest of “adjusting” the Indians into a people with complete

capacity for industrial work, English was thrust upon them, and all native languages were

banned from use.4 The mouths of Children at the carlisle Indian Boarding School, for ex-

ample, were washed out with lye soap for uttering even a word in their native language.5

Reformers dealing with the affairs of various Indian schools were comparably

strict while enforcing policies pertaining to the teaching of English. In reaction to a report

3

2 Board of Indian Commissioners. "Indian Education." Print. Rpt. in Americanizing The American Indian. Ed. Francis P. Prucha. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard UP, 1973. 194-95. Print.

3 Geronimo (Goyathlay), a Chiricahua Apache; Full-length, Kneeling with Rifle, 1887. Digital image. Www.archives.gov. The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 29th May 2012. <http://research.archives.gov/description/530880>

4 Phenix, Geo. P. "Indian Day School No. 27." Indian School Journal 7.7 (1907): 29. Print.

5 Pember, Mary A. "A Painful Remembrance." Diverseeducation.com. 28 Nov. 2007. Web. 25 May 2012.

that one Indian school was teaching English and Dakota, the Department of Indian Af-

fairs sent this order to the Indian Office:

“You will please inform the authorities of this school that the English language only

must be taught the Indian youth placed there for educational and industrial training at

the expense of the Government. If Dakota or any other language is taught to such

children, they will be taken away and their support by the Government will be with-

drawn from the school.”6

Photos of these children reveal, in their eyes and in their posture, the severity of

the acculturation imposed upon them by their instructors. In Doc. 2, chiricahua apache

are shown in a group just as they arrived to the Carlisle Indian school,7 and in Doc. 3,

they’re shown after four months of industrial training.8 In doc.before., their wildness is

obvious, their clothes tattered, and their expressions are pained, yet soulful. However, in

doc.after., their character has been subdued to an unlikely uniformity, their clothes taken,

and their expressions numb, frightened and drained. In their tight, cotton uniforms they

seem as constricted, stiff-limbed and uncomfortable as if they had been admitted not to a

school, but an insane asylum, and stuffed into white, cotton straight jackets.

~~~~~~~

4

6 Atkins, J. D. C. "The English Language in the Indian Schools." Print. Rpt. in Americanizing The Ameri-can Indian. Ed. Francis P. Prucha. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard UP, 1973. 199. Print.

7 Choate, John N. Chiricahua Apaches as They Arrived at Carlisle from Fort Marion, Florida. nov. 4th,1886. Photograph. Denver Public Library Digital Collections, Denver, CO. Denverlibrary.org. Oclc.org. Web. 1 June 2012.

8 Chiricahua Apaches Four Months After Arriving at Carlisle. 1878-91. Photograph. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, New Haven, CT. Http://beinecke.library.yale.edu. Comp. Richard H. Pratt. Yale. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://brbl-zoom.library.yale.edu/viewer/1005345>.

The early 1900s were some of the most devastating years for the Native Ameri-

cans, and their culture. The European invaders, after fanatically obliterating the native

cultures of the eastern seaboard, and in a similar frenzy industrializing, populating, and

utilizing the lands which they had stolen, would continue their imperial journey until their

manifest destiny was reached. It was in this bloody vain that the Andrew Jackson and his

administration relocated west the remaining tribes of Native Americans, who, before their

removal, resided in scattered parts of present day Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Geor-

gia, Tennessee, Florida, and northern Illinois.9 The Removal plan set forth by various

administrations, including Jackson’s, existed without much opposition partly because of

widespread hatred towards the Native people and their “savage tendencies”. The Re-

moval, however, was mainly in the interest of money.

The Jackson administration believed that with the prompt removal of all Native

Americans from areas in the midwest, a profitable expansion could be carried out, and

any fear of Indian nuisances would be eliminated.10 Jackson identified this opportunity,

and held onto it like how a small child grasps their favorite toy before they’ve learned to

share.

In a letter to congress, Andrew Jackson discusses the “consequences” of strict In-

dian removal:

“The consequence of a speedy removal will be important to the united states, to individual

states, and to the indians, themselves... It will place a dense and civilized population in large

5

9 The Indian Removal Act. Digital image. Google.com/images. Web. 2 June 2012.

10 "Indian Removal." PBS. PBS. Web. 01 June 2012.

tracts of country, now occupied by a few savage hunters... It will relieve the whole state of

mississippi and the western part of alabama, of Indian Occupancy; and enable those states to

advance rapidly in population, wealth and power. It will separate the Indians from immediate

contact with settlements of whites... enable them to pursue happiness in their own way... re-

tard the progress of decay which is lessening their numbers; and, perhaps, cause them gradu-

ally... to cast off their savage habits, and become an interesting, civilized and christian

community.”11 (Original provided--Doc. 4)

In the following years, various inquiries, most of which were quite unjust, led to

the relocation of all of the major tribes which had remained east of the Mississippi. The

Creek Indians, for example, refused to emigrate at first, but eventually signed a treaty in

1832. The treaty stated that a certain portion of their land would be given to the Govern-

ment for white settlement, but guaranteed protected ownership to the remaining portion

to the Creeks. The government did not protect them from land speculators, however, who

cheated them out of their lands soon after the treaty was signed. In anger, a few Creeks

began stealing livestock from white settlers, raising strong tensions between them. Even-

tually the Natives snapped, and began committing arson and murder in retaliation to their

brutal treatment. In hearing this, the government took their chance while they had it. In

1836, the Secretary of War declared their removal a military necessity, forcing 15,000

Creeks to emigrate west. They had never signed a removal treaty. By 1837, 70,000 Indi-

ans would be forcibly expelled from their native land, opening 25,000,000 acres to colo-

nial expansion.12

6

11 Jackson, Andrew. Letter to Congress of the United States. 6 Dec. 1830. National Archives and Records Administration. Nara.gov. Web. 23 May 2012.

12 "Indian Removal." PBS. PBS. Web. 01 June 2012.

~~~~~~~

The first psychological factor which drives humans to destruction is the insatiable

greed for power; a process which quickly becomes uncontrollable when needy, replicat-

ing humans are being provided some commodity, such as land, and unstoppable when

their right to that land has been written under a certain, powerful document. The second

factor is ignorance, which can exist deep under the skin of a person’s culturally based

ideologies, and which, even if disastrously immoral, cannot often be removed, or even

tampered with. In the case of the destruction of the native american culture, the answer

falls right into place: a great many people in the united states, especially lawmakers, ig-

norantly viewed the indians as incapable and inferior, inducing such indifference to the

native’s well being that their perfectly noble, peaceful, fruitful culture would be system-

atically destroyed by re-education and other forms of assimilation. And as for greed, with

the status of the Indians lowered to that of a cowering savage, the western frontier could

be advanced farther with no remorse, allowing American citizens more resources to de-

plete, and boosting Government revenue. In conclusion, the destruction of the Native

American was due course for the expansion of the empire called the United States.

7

Annotated Bibliography

1. Board of Indian Commissioners. "Indian Education." Print. Rpt. in Americanizing The Ameri-

can

Indian. Ed. Francis P. Prucha. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard UP, 1973. 194-95. Print.

This book discusses many aspects of assimilation with excerpts from various reformers of

the period. It was helpful specifically in providing a concrete example of the common

belief that Native Americans were inferior to whites.

2. American Experience | We Shall Remain: Geronimo. Dir. Dustinn Craig. Perf. Benjamin Bratt.

PBS,

2009. DVD.

This instructive Documentary describes, in full detail, the life of the legendary apache

Indian named Geronimo. The outcome of a tragic event in Geronimo’s life, which is ex-

plained in the movie, was of use in accentuating the importance of traditional hair to the

Native Americans.

*3. Geronimo (Goyathlay), a Chiricahua Apache; Full-length, Kneeling with Rifle, 1887. Digital

image. Www.archives.gov. The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 29th

May 2012. <http://research.archives.gov/description/530880>

This beautiful photograph of Geronimo was of use also in accentuating the importance of

traditional hair; this photo, which was taken long after the tragedy itself, still depicts

Geronimo of having short hair. This implies that his original sacrifice carried enough

weight to be continued for many years.

4. Phenix, Geo. P. "Indian Day School No. 27." Indian School Journal 7.7 (1907): 29. Print.

8

This article is from a multivolume journal which is dedicated to the Indian schools of

America. The specific article cited discusses many common comings and goings, habits,

and rules pertaining to students and teachers during the school day. The issue of forced

abandonment of native language is explained briefly, and was of use in providing some

evidence of the issue’s existence.

5. Pember, Mary A. "A Painful Remembrance." Diverseeducation.com. 28 Nov. 2007. Web. 25

May

2012.

This online article describes many forms of ill treatment done to the Native Americans

during the period of Education. It mentions the use of lye soap as a punishment breaking

the native language rule, This description present a vivid example of the harshness exer-

cised by school instructors.

*6. Atkins, J. D. C. "The English Language in the Indian Schools." Print. Rpt. in Americanizing

The

American Indian. Ed. Francis P. Prucha. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard UP, 1973. 199. Print.

From the same book as was discussed in citation #1., a brilliant, eye opening excerpt was

given. This valuable primary source was a communication between the Department of

Indian Affairs and the Indian Office, which plainly showed legislator’s opinion on the

native language rule.

*7. Chiricahua Apaches Four Months After Arriving at Carlisle. 1878-91. Photograph. Beinecke

Rare

Book and Manuscript Library, New Haven, CT. Http://beinecke.library.yale.edu. Comp. Richard

H. Pratt. Yale. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://brbl-zoom.library.yale.edu/viewer/1005345>.

9

This is a primary photographic document, perfectly preserved and scanned by the Bei-

necke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. It depicts eleven chiricahua apache, in formal

dress, after four months at the Carlisle Indian school in Carlisle P.A.. This photo provided

the stark contrast between the character of Indians after attending an Indian school, and

Indians before education, which is extremely helpful to the author, and to the reader, for

undisputed visual reference.

*8. Choate, John N. Chiricahua Apaches as They Arrived at Carlisle from Fort Marion, Florida.

nov.

4th,1886. Photograph. Denver Public Library Digital Collections, Denver, CO.

Denverlibrary.org. Oclc.org. Web. 1 June 2012.

This is another another primary, photographic document. However, while it also depicts

eleven Chiricahua Apache, they are shown before their education at the Carlisle Indian

School. Their character is much more organic, and contrasts effectively with their con-

trived, formal stature in the photograph described in citation #7.

9. The Indian Removal Act. Digital image. Google.com/images. Web. 2 June 2012.

This online image simply shows the routes that were taken by various Native tribes in

their western emigration. What was most useful was the ability to correspond their start-

ing places(their homeland), with modern day American states. This provided a simpler

understanding for the reader of the locations in which various removals took place.

10. "Indian Removal." PBS. PBS. Web. 01 June 2012.

This online article explains in detail the how the tribes in the east were relocated. Just as

it is impossible to describe a birds wing without an explanation of the bird itself, it also

tells about the treachery done by the administration of Andrew Jackson to the Indians. It

10

explains some motives seen by the administration while carrying out the removal; most

motivations included pecuniary advancements.

*11. Jackson, Andrew. Letter to Congress of the United States. 6 Dec. 1830. National Archives

and

Records Administration. Nara.gov. Web. 23 May 2012.

This invaluable, excellent primary source document is a letter from president Andrew

Jackson to Congress arguing the benefits of “speedy removal”. Further, the document

attached was not all used to the advantage of my argument, but is provided for the reader

for their own enjoyment; the script is clean and precise, the language succinct and flow-

ered with scholarly vocabulary. The ability to lay one’s eyes on such an important part of

American history is a marvel and a privilege.

12. "Indian Removal." PBS. PBS. Web. 01 June 2012.

This citation refers to the entire paragraph which precedes it. The online article cited has

provided extensive information about the story of Creek removal, including an explana-

tion of their original treaty, and the ways in which the government dishonored this treaty,

eventually forcing the Creek Tribe to leave without signing a removal treaty. Also, this

article gives some helpful statistics. It states the total amount of Native Americans re-

moved, and the total acreage claimed by the government.

Note: Primary sources are marked with * before the citation number.

11

Appendix:

Doc. 1

12

Doc. 2

13

Doc. 3

14

Doc. 4

(Look on Portfolio post for a PDF of Andrew Jackson’s letter to congress)

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