American Indian Tribes

By Dr. Diana Prince

American Indian Tribes examines the rich history and culture of some of the Indian tribal nations that are part of our country’s legacy. It explores the history of people whose spirits are both proud and resilient. It also deals with some of the triumphs and tragedies that have marked this fascinating history.

At the heart of this story are the people who lived that sometimes turbulent and heroic history. Here we find the resilience and challenges that have shaped our country’s story. It explores the complex experience of the people who fought and endured, on both sides, to shape the country we have built together. It also explores the rich tribal traditions that have been preserved from generation to generation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 24, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546265030

Dr. Diana Prince

Dr. Diana Prince has a Master’s Degree in English and a Master’s Degree in Philosophy from California State University at San Diego. She has a PhD in Psychology from United States International University.

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© 2018 Dr. Diana Prince. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/23/2018

ISBN: 978-1-5462-6504-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-6505-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-6503-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018912604

PHOTO CREDIT: All photos are used with the permission of Getty Images.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

1 Ancient Roots - the Anasazi

2 Apache Tribe

3 Blackfoot Tribe

4 Cherokee Tribe

5 Cheyenne Tribe

6 Chippewa (Ojibway) Tribe

7 Comanche Tribe

8 Crow Tribe

9 Hopi Tribe

10 Navajo Tribe

11 Pawnee Tribe

12 Seminole Tribe

13 Shawnee Tribe

14 Shoshone Tribe

15 Sioux Tribe

16 Yakama Tribe

17 Zuni Tribe

List of Photos

1. Anasazi Cliff Palace dwelling at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado

2. Apache Native Headdress at Pow Wow Ceremony in Texas

3. Blackfoot Boy at Pow Wow in Montana.

4. Young Cherokee Man at Tsalagi Village

5. Cheyenne in Traditional Warrior Dress

6. Chippewa (Ojibwe) Tribe Maiden, circa 1920

7. Comanche Tribal Ceremony

8. Comanche Dancer from San Juan Pueblo on the Rio Grande River near Espanola, New Mexico

9. Crow Tribe Reenactment of the Battle of Little Bighorn in Montana

10. Crow Chief Warrior Apsaroke, Circa 1909, taken by Indian photographer Edward S. Curtis.

11. Hopi Indian Girl in Traditional Dress at Tribal Ceremony

12. Hopi Dancer at Ceremony on Arizona Reservation

13. Navajo Woman Weaving Sheep Wool

14. Pawnee Tribal Ceremony in Oklahoma

15. Seminole Warrior in Tribal Dress

16. Shawnee in Tribal Ceremony Attire at the traditional Red Earth Festival.

17. Shoshone Indian, Circa 1899

18. Sioux Tribal Dance at Pow Wow in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

19. Chief Lone Bear, Ogalala Sioux, Circa 1900

20. Yakama Indian and Traditional Teepee in Oregon, Circa 1900

21. Young Zuni Pueblo Dancer at Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremony in Gallup, New Mexico.

22. Zuni Pueblo Dancer at Ceremony in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Introduction

This book examines the history and culture of some of the Indian tribal nations which are part of the United States. This book explores the culture and history of many of these tribes. It also explores the some of the triumphs and tragedies which have marked the long road in the history of the American tribes, and in the American story.

The ancestors of today’s American Indian tribes developed their respective cultures thousands of years before the arrival of the first Europeans. It has been five centuries since that first contact took place in the late 1400’s.

Today the United States government recognizes the sovereignty of 562 distinct Indian nations. This is affirmed in the Constitution of the United States. Sixty percent of these tribes live in the contiguous United States, and 40 percent live in Alaska. Indian tribal nations have autonomy in much the same way that each state has a government separate from the Federal government.

The largest native groups today include the Sioux, the Navajo, the Chippewa and the Cherokee. Even before the Revolutionary War, treaties were able to negotiate some degree of peace in the daily lives of colonists and Indians. It was not until the fledgling new nation of the United States sought land for its expanding population that the dynamics changed. In the 1800’s, treaties to procure land led to forced Indian migrations and territorial disputes. The government procured tracts of land from the Indians, to set up reservations. In good faith, the Indians made treaties with the government’s promise that the Indians would always retain rights to use the land.

In 1838, one of the darkest chapters in this legacy occurred. It is known