Native American Racial Disparities

Students all across America are taught that the Americas were discovered by Christopher Columbus. This holds little to no truth behind it. Evidence shows that 11,000 years ago nomads migrated from Siberia into North America via the Bering Land Bridge. The natives lived in peace till around the 15th century when Europeans first reached American soil. Europeans thought of natives as “warlike people, and extremely cruel”. As years have passed societal beliefs have allowed native americans to be granted the respect they deserve but they have not yet reached social and economic equality other ethnic groups have reached. Native Americans were setback due to racial disparities that were initiated in the 15th century. In the 15th century there was …show more content…
European expansion led colonists to the search for gold and the motivation to escape religious persecution. Colonists staged multiple ambushes on Native American tribes which caused tension to rise between the two groups. Wars broke out which fueled the death toll to raise and more diseases to be contradicted due to resources being minimal. The death of Native Americans did not weigh heavily on the conscience of colonists because town officials taught them that the Natives were just “a rude, barbarous, and naked people”. Officials of the Virginia Company of London believed that the Native people should be “ [killed] all at once; but civilizing them is slow and will take much more effort. Victory over them may be gained many ways: by force, by surprise, by famine in burning their com, by destroying and burning their boats… by pursuing and chasing them with our horses and bloodhounds to draw after them, and mastiff dogs to tear them.” Natives were …show more content…
economy. Only 201,400 non-farm businesses were owned by Native Americans while there was 23 million non-farm businesses in the U.S. This is a staggering distinction between the economic status of Native Americans and Non Native Americans. If economic equality was reached, Native Americans would have far more non-farm businesses. Economic success does not only have to with job occupations but education as well. “Only 54 percent of Native students who graduated in 2004 enrolled in college immediately after high school, as compared with 74 percent of white students.” Better education for Native students is the key to unlocking more paths to a successful career which can also help the U.S. economy. Only 26.2 percent of Native people above the age of 16 held a job. Native American citizens are far behind in their progress to economic prosperity which is detrimental to allowing them to be recognized equally in