Native Americans And American History - 1396 Words

Native Americans have remained a prominent aspect of American history; not just a history of the people, but a history of the land and the extensive traditions that shadowed it, like footprints in the sand. However, when the Europeans staggered over with indifference towards the natives and their unusual customs, a conflict erupted that dates back hundreds of years and continues into the present. As the United States grew further more intolerant of the natives, the daring judgment to either assimilate into the American society, or face extinction of the Indian race and culture was presented. Some natives elected to conform to American culture, while abandoning their Indian heritage. Like immigrants, who presently migrate into America,†¦show more content†¦The Society’s pleas to the federal government proved successful when Congress created the Indian Claims Commission, which would settle Native grievances with the American government, in 1946 (2). As the years persis ted, so did the transformation of the Cherokee people, noted as the â€Å"Cherokee Culture Change† in the 1800s. In 1804, the Moravians opened a school, which taught Cherokee children how to be â€Å"civilized†. The children were taught how to speak, dress, and practice Christianity. The young boys were instructed on farming techniques, and the adolescent girls were trained to be docile and submissive (3). One of the most ingenious adaptions to the American society was the system of writing for the official Cherokee language. Sequoyah crafted eighty-six symbols for each sound, consequently enabling numerous Cherokees to learn how to read and write. Adding on to their countless accomplishments from assimilation into American culture, the Cherokee commenced the launch of the Cherokee Phoenix, a newspaper which expressed the opinions, viewpoints, and rich history of the Cherokee Nation(3). The most significant reasoning for the Natives’ assimilation into American society was a desire for an advanced life; disassociated from the worsening conditions on the reservations, and the fatal massacres brought