Radical, or conservative. Abolitionist, or proslavery. Whether you believe in one or the other, we all share a common belief: to fight for what is right, just, and beneficial to our country. Through the years of American history, there have been events that led to the satisfaction of our people, and there have been times where we admit we’ve overstepped. But who decides when it’s too late to apologize and to replace the mile we’ve taken when only given an inch? The United States of America is a place that strived to value equality, liberty, and overall freedom. Whereas, the nation itself was established on the bones and remains of the natives our Fathers extinguished. Furthermore, the American Identity, as I view it, is the drive to pursue
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Little did they know, their new home was already inhabited by natives. Nevertheless, the Native Americans welcomed the English to their homeland, knowing nothing of what was to come. Aaron Huey, repeat visitor and friend of the Sioux tribe, describes how they call him “brother” and “uncle,” but also use the term “Wasi’chu,” which means non-Indian, or, “He who takes the best meat for himself” (Huey). This simple term sums up America’s identity well because it is exactly what we did and continue to do. We had taken the metaphorical “meat” of their land and forcibly separated them into small reservations. These are the same natives taught them new ways of sustaining their crops and shared ancient tales would soon be taken complete advantage of. At the same time the natives were so kindly sharing their customs with the Wasi’chu men, the god fearing settlers had their own plans for these savages unaffiliated from any religion. Their views are exemplified here by Benjamin Franklin, “Savages we call them, because their manners differ from ours, which we think is the perfection of civility. They think the same of theirs” (Franklin 1). This shows a glimmer of the thoughts of the white settlers, for what series of events that comes next will ultimately be the most massive genocide the world has …show more content…
Accordingly, the article titled Atrocities Against Native Americans, published by United to End Genocide gives insight of the dwindling numbers their people, “By the time Christopher Columbus reached the Caribbean in 1492, historians estimate that there were 10 million indigenous peoples living in U.S. territory. But by 1900, the number had reduced to less than 300,000” (Atrocities). The beginning of the end for the natives is illustrated in John Gast’s American Progress. This work of art depicts the white settlers drawing near to the land of the natives with their transcontinental railroad, bringing their technology to a nation that reveres and worships the beauty of the natural world and all it has to offer. The painting depicts the natives crouched down in the darkest corner of the canvas running in fear of what 's to come. Overall, their images are barely given detail, they blend in with the buffalos in the back, suggesting they were of equals
Little did they know, their new home was already inhabited by natives. Nevertheless, the Native Americans welcomed the English to their homeland, knowing nothing of what was to come. Aaron Huey, repeat visitor and friend of the Sioux tribe, describes how they call him “brother” and “uncle,” but also use the term “Wasi’chu,” which means non-Indian, or, “He who takes the best meat for himself” (Huey). This simple term sums up America’s identity well because it is exactly what we did and continue to do. We had taken the metaphorical “meat” of their land and forcibly separated them into small reservations. These are the same natives taught them new ways of sustaining their crops and shared ancient tales would soon be taken complete advantage of. At the same time the natives were so kindly sharing their customs with the Wasi’chu men, the god fearing settlers had their own plans for these savages unaffiliated from any religion. Their views are exemplified here by Benjamin Franklin, “Savages we call them, because their manners differ from ours, which we think is the perfection of civility. They think the same of theirs” (Franklin 1). This shows a glimmer of the thoughts of the white settlers, for what series of events that comes next will ultimately be the most massive genocide the world has …show more content…
Accordingly, the article titled Atrocities Against Native Americans, published by United to End Genocide gives insight of the dwindling numbers their people, “By the time Christopher Columbus reached the Caribbean in 1492, historians estimate that there were 10 million indigenous peoples living in U.S. territory. But by 1900, the number had reduced to less than 300,000” (Atrocities). The beginning of the end for the natives is illustrated in John Gast’s American Progress. This work of art depicts the white settlers drawing near to the land of the natives with their transcontinental railroad, bringing their technology to a nation that reveres and worships the beauty of the natural world and all it has to offer. The painting depicts the natives crouched down in the darkest corner of the canvas running in fear of what 's to come. Overall, their images are barely given detail, they blend in with the buffalos in the back, suggesting they were of equals