| Initially, the Native Americans welcomed the | | | | in the case of the peaceful Cherokee Indians. |
| Europeans to America. Christopher Columbus | | | | They worked within the confines of the legal |
| reported to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand | | | | system of the United States to resist their |
| that the Indians on San Salvador Island | | | | forced removal from their homelands in |
| responded warmly to the gifts the Europeans | | | | Georgia. They filed a lawsuit with the United |
| gave them, and "became so entirely [their] | | | | States federal government against the state |
| friends that it was a wonder to see" (Hurtado | | | | of Georgia to be able to remain in their |
| 45).Montezuma and the Aztecs welcomed the | | | | traditional homelands. Although they |
| Spaniards as a God that came in fulfillment | | | | ultimately lost the lawsuit and were forced |
| of their destiny. This Aztec belief induced | | | | to leave their homelands, the Cherokee tribe |
| them to submit themselves entirely under the | | | | did not turn to warfare as a response to |
| Spaniards' rule. Many Native American | | | | their tragic displacement. The majority of |
| tribes, such as those encountered by Jacques | | | | the Cherokees quietly submitted to the march |
| Cartier, Cabeza de Vaca, and Hernando de | | | | known as the Trail of Tears, in which so many |
| Soto, regarded the Europeans as powerful | | | | of them died along the way due to exposure |
| shamans or Gods. The Native Americans would | | | | and starvation from lack of adequate |
| bring their ill tribal members to them to | | | | provisions.The Plains Indians, such as the |
| heal their sickness (Hurtado 56).The influx | | | | Lakota, were the most likely Native Americans |
| of European goods greatly altered the | | | | tribes to respond to their oppression with |
| relationship between the Native Americans and | | | | open warfare. The taking of the Black Hills |
| the invading Europeans. As the Native | | | | is a very good example of this. When the |
| Americans began to use European goods, such | | | | settlers first began to swarm into the Black |
| as hatchets, iron arrowheads, sword blades, | | | | Hills looking for gold, the U.S. government |
| knives, and other goods, their dependency | | | | initially tried to keep them out in |
| upon Europeans became more established. | | | | accordance of the treaty with the Lakota and |
| Divisions between tribes began to emerge as | | | | their allies. But as more and more |
| some Native American tribes allied themselves | | | | gold-seekers trekked in, the federal |
| with the English, and others allied | | | | government reversed their position. The |
| themselves with the French | | | | government offered to buy the Black Hills, |
| settlers.Initially, the Christian | | | | which was rejected.Then the U.S. government |
| missionaries were accepted also, as the | | | | issued a law requiring all the Indians to |
| polytheistic Native Americans did not resist | | | | vacate the Black Hills. This action led to |
| the worship of the Christian god. But when | | | | such violent confrontations as the battles of |
| the conquering Europeans began to rigorously | | | | Little Big Horn and Wounded Knee. Not all the |
| suppress the Native Americans' religion, they | | | | Plains Indians fought in this war, as many of |
| began to resist. As in the case of the Tewa | | | | them followed Red Cloud and remained out of |
| Indians, they resisted passively at first by | | | | the fighting. This taking of the Black Hills |
| keeping their religious observances hidden | | | | is still an important issue today, since the |
| from the Spanish. But as the Spanish invaders | | | | Lakota tribe continues to assert their claim |
| became even more ruthless in suppressing | | | | over the Black Hills, and refuses to touch |
| their religion, the Tewa Indians openly | | | | the money the United States government holds |
| rebelled, killing many of the Spanish, | | | | in trust for the purchase of the Black |
| including non-combatants such as women, | | | | Hills.BibliographyHurtado, Albert, Peter |
| children, and priests. The Tewa Indians also | | | | Iverson, and Thomas Paterson, editors. Major |
| ransacked Christian churches and desecrated | | | | Problems in American Indian History: |
| their holy places.Another type of resistance | | | | Documents and Essays. Houghton Mifflin |
| used by the Native Americans is exemplified | | | | Company Collegiate Division, 2000. |