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Nov 12, 1492
Face to face contact
Although Columbus wasn't the first explorer to come across what we now know as North America and Aboriginal Amereicans. At first glance, they were percieved as less developed than most of European society. However, after a considerable amount of research done on Aboriginal Americans, the were maybe the most culturally developed people of their time and it was this divide and lack of understanding and European disease between cultures that led to the mistraetment and breakdown of their society. -
Early Colonization Efforts
As early attempst are made to colonize the new land, the aboriginal americans found there population rapidly decreasing due to various European diseases brought upon from the Spanish. Aboriginal americans and European settlers saw the exchange of culture in the form of both food, clothing, and weapons. Unfourtunatley, there was also the involuntary exchange of land as Europeans forged wesward, taking native lands on the way. This pattern of taking native lands repeated throughout history. -
An attempt to shift culture
As Europeans forged westward, attmpts were made to "tame the savages," and various missions were formed to try and shift aboriginal americans into something more palatable. An early example of this was Andrerw White and the Society of Jesus. -
French and Indian war
As war broke out between Great Britian and France, dwindling aboriginal american tribes found themselves siding with both the French and the British, with the majority siding with the French due to the fur trade. These alliances were forged for various reasons, including treaties with European powers which sadly were overturned, and to settle rivalries between other tribes. -
blanket extirpation
There are a number of incidents where diseases were deliberately spread among Native Americans as a form of biological warfare. The most prime example happened when Sir Jeffrey Amherst wrote saying to use smallpox infected blankets to root out the indian race. It is unclear how well the blanket attempt worked. -
native allegiance
During the American Revolution, the newly proclaimed United States competed with the British for the allegiance of Native American nations. Most of the Native Americans sided with the British that joined the struggle, based mainly on their trading relationships and hopes that colonial defeat would result in a stop to further colonial expansion onto Native land. Some native communities were divided while others stayed neutral. -
Tecumsehs War
East of the Mississippi River the Shawnee chief Tecumseh aliied with the British and raided various American settlements. the alliance was unsuccesful and Tecumseh was killed by American forces, leading to the alliance between the British and the Aboriginal Americans dissolving. -
Civilization Fund Act
The Civilization Fund Act promoted civilization policy by providing funding to religious societies who worked on Native American improvement. This Act led to the formation of numerous Native American boarding schools towards the end of the 19th century.The societies were a combination of Christian missions and the federal government. Federal funds were distributed to schools that educate Native Americans in the ways of the white man. -
Indian Removal Act
During the presidency of Andrew Jackson a policy was introduced that relocated Aboriginal Americans from their homelands to government resevations. This resulted in the death of thousands of Aboriginal Americans. This voilent transportation was known as the trail of tears due to how strenuous and expansive the journey was. To this day Aboriginal Americans reside in these resevations.
