one law that I found kinda interesting looking in american history was when the white govt took over the land and forced the indians as they called the native americans off the land into reservations. They then said to the white people go claim this land its yours. People went crazy and started claiming land in their droves but they had to make it pay to own it. well they couldnt it all turned into a big dustbowl after a couple of years.
what happened to the native americans? They had looked after that land for centuries but only after a couple of years of claiming via the govt laws it was turned to dust. Literally. This happened in the midwest.
Which govt or time period? Native Americans had contact with different countries leading up to the US. Are you talking about the beginning or later with the forced migration events like the Trail of Tears?
What happens to the Native Americans? That is a rich and very in-depth subject. From the beginning of European interaction, you had good and bad interactions. Then a plague killed off a largely unknown number of Native Americans (unintentional) these natives we're pagan in culture and many tribes were rich in human sacrifices, war, enslaving others, raping other tribeswomen, and stealing land from other tribes. This kind of culture is what helped the Pilgrims have the longest peace treaty with an Indian tribe. The Indians needed defense from the hostile tribes.
But over time the pilgrims converted many to Christianity and King Philip the late Indian Chief's son did not like the shifting culture and began a war against the Christian Indians and white settlers.
Europeans bought land from the Indians but later generations of Indians became more hostile as assimilation between the two cultures just kept clashing.
Many not all Native Americans sided with the French in the French and Indian war.
The British American colonies and 3 or 4 friendly Indian tribes won the war while 7 of 8 who sided with the French lost. So this created more conflict.
Then the American revolution had many Indian tribes side with the British who promised them land and wealth. They paid them for scalp bounties on American patriots.
Well, they lost that war too.
Many different colonists tried to evangelize Native Americans. And many found Jesus including the popular female Pocahontas.
Even Thomas Jefferson created a Bible that in the introduction it states his effort to reach the Native Americans. (Many today criticize his effort as saying he cut up the Bible. Out of context, it would appear so but he was trying to simplify the Bible so the evangelist would have a gateway to teaching the gospel. )
The Northwest Ordinance 1787 had these words within it.
Art. 3. Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards the
Indians; their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent; and, in their property, rights, and liberty, they shall never be invaded or disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars authorized by Congress; but laws founded in justice and humanity, shall from time to time be made for preventing wrongs being done to them, and for preserving peace and friendship with them.
Many treaties were made between the Indian tribes and many were broken by different actions and events.
Then came the war of 1812. Same story. Many Indian tribes sided with the British. They lost again.
The results were bad as Spain loses West Florida to the United States; indigenous nations are mostly displaced from their land. Three tribes fought with the US while 17 tribes, the UK, Spain, and Canada fought against the US.
Then came the Seminole wars around Florida that really shook up American colonists.
Each of these events did in fact make the Indian look like the savage to many Americans. Of course, many tribes had already assimilated but tribes like the Seminole went to war.
General Andrew Jackson fought in the Seminole wars and many scholars believe that is what influenced him to pass the Indian Removal Act of 1830. President Andrew Jackson and the 8th President Martin Van Buren both linked to the creation of the Democratic Party, began the relocation of 5 different Indian tribes including the Cherokee's African slaves.
Davy Crockett an American legend and US congressman was very upset with this decision.
David Crockett to Charles Schultz, December 25, 1834 (Gilder Lehrman Collection)In this letter, written in December 1834, Davy Crockett complains about President Andrew Jackson’s forced removal of the Cherokees from their homes to Oklahoma. Crockett opposed that policy and feared Vice President Martin Van Buren would continue it, if elected president. He even goes so far as to say that if Van Buren is elected, Crockett would leave the United States for the "wildes of Texas." Crockett writes, "I will consider that government a Paridice to what this will be. In fact at this time our Republican Government has dwindled almost into insignificancy our [boasted] land of liberty have almost Bowed to the yoke of of [
sic] Bondage." Crockett actually went to Texas before Martin Van Buren was elected president, and he died in the Battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, months before the election.
