The Native Americans
Ø 1607: John Smith established Jamestown and started a war against Powhatan Confederation
Ø 1613: John Rolf and Pocahontas -> marriage -> assured peace for short time
Ø 1620: Mayflower arrived
Ø 1621: After help of Indians -> pilgrims invited them -> first Thanksgiving
Ø 1675:Wamponoag-Chief King Philip started a war against Europeans
Ø 1680:Pueblo Indians -> alliance against Spaniards => freedom till 1692
Ø 1756 - 1763:French and Indian War -> French lost against the English
Ø 1813:Tacumseh died in the Battle of Thames; Indian forces lost against Americans
Ø 1830 - 1885:Extermination of about 50 million buffaloes (basis of existence of Indians of the plains and prairies)
Ø starting in 1862: Indians of the West resisted the committal to reservations in several wars
Ø 1876: fight at the Little Bighorn River -> Indian majority -> Americans angry -> because of the following war the resistance of Indians broke
Ø 1890: Massacre at Wounded Knee Creek -> last strike against Indians
Ø after 1890: all tribes lived in reservations but they kept culture alive
Native Amercians today ...
Ø because of the “Indian Problem” reservations were established
Ø as a result of the Indian removal policy many Americans relocated in the West
Ø to civilize Indians so-called “Indian Boarding Schools” were established; especially children should adopt European-American culture
Ø there are about 300 Indian reservations in the US, 85% live in the citiesor states like California
Ø very often problems like poverty or alcoholism, also physical and mental problems
the Cherokees ...
Ø At the beginning they were a powerful nation
Ø As the white settlers came Cherokees accommodated to them very well
Ø They were more and more like the whites
Ø 1828 Georgia wanted the Cherokees to live in Oklahoma
Ø Cherokees went to the Court of Justice and fought for their land
Ø They won the case but Andrew Jackson relocated them against the law
Ø 14.000 of 17.000 Cherokees died on the long way to Oklahoma, on the so-called Trail of Tears
Ø Today most of the Cherokees live in Oklahoma and North Carolina
