Native American Response to Settlers

Initially, the Native Americans welcomed theexemplified in the case of the peaceful Cherokee
Europeans to America. Christopher ColumbusIndians. They worked within the confines of the legal
reported to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand thatsystem of the United States to resist their forced
the Indians on San Salvador Island responded warmlyremoval from their homelands in Georgia. They filed a
to the gifts the Europeans gave them, and "becamelawsuit with the United States federal government
so entirely [their] friends that it was a wonder toagainst the state of Georgia to be able to remain in
see" (Hurtado 45).Montezuma and the Aztecstheir traditional homelands. Although they ultimately
welcomed the Spaniards as a God that came inlost the lawsuit and were forced to leave their
fulfillment of their destiny. This Aztec belief inducedhomelands, the Cherokee tribe did not turn to
them to submit themselves entirely under thewarfare as a response to their tragic displacement.
Spaniards' rule. Many Native American tribes, such asThe majority of the Cherokees quietly submitted to
those encountered by Jacques Cartier, Cabeza dethe march known as the Trail of Tears, in which so
Vaca, and Hernando de Soto, regarded themany of them died along the way due to exposure
Europeans as powerful shamans or Gods. The Nativeand starvation from lack of adequate provisions.The
Americans would bring their ill tribal members to themPlains Indians, such as the Lakota, were the most
to heal their sickness (Hurtado 56).The influx oflikely Native Americans tribes to respond to their
European goods greatly altered the relationshipoppression with open warfare. The taking of the
between the Native Americans and the invadingBlack Hills is a very good example of this. When the
Europeans. As the Native Americans began to usesettlers first began to swarm into the Black Hills
European goods, such as hatchets, iron arrowheads,looking for gold, the U.S. government initially tried to
sword blades, knives, and other goods, theirkeep them out in accordance of the treaty with the
dependency upon Europeans became moreLakota and their allies. But as more and more
established. Divisions between tribes began togold-seekers trekked in, the federal government
emerge as some Native American tribes alliedreversed their position. The government offered to
themselves with the English, and others alliedbuy the Black Hills, which was rejected.Then the U.S.
themselves with the French settlers.Initially, thegovernment issued a law requiring all the Indians to
Christian missionaries were accepted also, as thevacate the Black Hills. This action led to such violent
polytheistic Native Americans did not resist theconfrontations as the battles of Little Big Horn and
worship of the Christian god. But when theWounded Knee. Not all the Plains Indians fought in
conquering Europeans began to rigorously suppressthis war, as many of them followed Red Cloud and
the Native Americans' religion, they began to resist.remained out of the fighting. This taking of the Black
As in the case of the Tewa Indians, they resistedHills is still an important issue today, since the Lakota
passively at first by keeping their religioustribe continues to assert their claim over the Black
observances hidden from the Spanish. But as theHills, and refuses to touch the money the United
Spanish invaders became even more ruthless inStates government holds in trust for the purchase of
suppressing their religion, the Tewa Indians openlythe Black Hills.BibliographyHurtado, Albert, Peter
rebelled, killing many of the Spanish, includingIverson, and Thomas Paterson, editors. Major
non-combatants such as women, children, and priests.Problems in American Indian History: Documents and
The Tewa Indians also ransacked Christian churchesEssays. Houghton Mifflin Company Collegiate Division,
and desecrated their holy places.Another type of2000.
resistance used by the Native Americans is