Immigration, refugees, and acculturation
by: marah rice
Immigration and Refugees
Native Americans were the first to immigrate to America and take over the land there. As Europeans began to immigrate to what is now the United States, they pushed the Native Americans off their land and into reservations. Many dying along the way. "These people, whose ancestors crossed the land bridge from Asia in what may be considered the first North American immigration, were virtually destroyed by the subsequent immigration that created the United States." In 1786, the United States established it's first reservation for Native Americans, where the reservation policies enforced by the government stayed in place for over 100 years. (Immigration- loc.gov).
The Indian Removal act of 1830 forced Native Americans to relocate west of the Mississippi River in reservations. When the Native Americans banded together to address the issue to the court, only disaster came from it.
"In 1838, as the deadline for removal approached, thousands of federal soldiers and Georgia volunteers entered the territory and forcibly relocated the Cherokees. Americans hunted, imprisoned, raped, and murdered Native Americans. Cherokees surviving the onslaught were forced on a 1,000-mile march to the established Indian Territory with few provisions. Approximately 4,000 Cherokees died on this 'Trail of Tears.'" (Immigration-loc.gov).
This treatment of Native Americans continued throughout history even through the 19th and centuries. The European settlers and new "Americans" continued to force the Native people from their homes and land and move them to knew areas for their own benefits. Often times they would force the Native Americans to surrender or towns would be destroyed and many Native people would be killed. The Native Americans became refugees because although they were the Native people they were not considered U.S. citizens and they did not belong nor have rights to the country. They were discriminated against by their race and forced to relocate multiple times and leave their homes and land.
Acculturation
The European people tried to force the Native Americans to acculturate to their culture. They wanted them to follow by their rules and lifestyles and if the Native Americans weren't going to do it freely then they were going to force them to. "For many Native Americans, the federal government’s reservation system became the only means for survival." (loc.gov)
The Native American people have continuously had pressure to change their ways to those of the "white men" and in some aspects they have had to follow the changes and adjust for their own survival sake. But, the Native American people have fought really hard to keep their culture alive and although at times they were repressed and forced through struggle in my opinion they never fully acculturated.
Native Americans were the first to immigrate to America and take over the land there. As Europeans began to immigrate to what is now the United States, they pushed the Native Americans off their land and into reservations. Many dying along the way. "These people, whose ancestors crossed the land bridge from Asia in what may be considered the first North American immigration, were virtually destroyed by the subsequent immigration that created the United States." In 1786, the United States established it's first reservation for Native Americans, where the reservation policies enforced by the government stayed in place for over 100 years. (Immigration- loc.gov).
The Indian Removal act of 1830 forced Native Americans to relocate west of the Mississippi River in reservations. When the Native Americans banded together to address the issue to the court, only disaster came from it.
"In 1838, as the deadline for removal approached, thousands of federal soldiers and Georgia volunteers entered the territory and forcibly relocated the Cherokees. Americans hunted, imprisoned, raped, and murdered Native Americans. Cherokees surviving the onslaught were forced on a 1,000-mile march to the established Indian Territory with few provisions. Approximately 4,000 Cherokees died on this 'Trail of Tears.'" (Immigration-loc.gov).
This treatment of Native Americans continued throughout history even through the 19th and centuries. The European settlers and new "Americans" continued to force the Native people from their homes and land and move them to knew areas for their own benefits. Often times they would force the Native Americans to surrender or towns would be destroyed and many Native people would be killed. The Native Americans became refugees because although they were the Native people they were not considered U.S. citizens and they did not belong nor have rights to the country. They were discriminated against by their race and forced to relocate multiple times and leave their homes and land.
Acculturation
The European people tried to force the Native Americans to acculturate to their culture. They wanted them to follow by their rules and lifestyles and if the Native Americans weren't going to do it freely then they were going to force them to. "For many Native Americans, the federal government’s reservation system became the only means for survival." (loc.gov)
The Native American people have continuously had pressure to change their ways to those of the "white men" and in some aspects they have had to follow the changes and adjust for their own survival sake. But, the Native American people have fought really hard to keep their culture alive and although at times they were repressed and forced through struggle in my opinion they never fully acculturated.