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What role did the U.S. government play in the Native American Genocide?

Darrel Pessold

Hey man! Great question on the role of the U.S. government in the Native American Genocide. To start, let me say that it’s a difficult topic to discuss and there are diverse opinions on it. However, I’ll do my best to provide a comprehensive answer.

To begin with, it’s important to highlight that the U.S. government played a significant role in the forced removal and killing of Native Americans. In fact, the U.S. government’s policies and actions led to the death of over 100,000 Native Americans. This genocide began in the 19th century and continued well into the 20th century.

One of the main ways that the U.S. government contributed to the genocide was through the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This legislation authorized the forced relocation of Native Americans from their ancestral homes in the east to lands in the west designated as "Indian Territory." The government wanted the valuable land and resources that Native Americans were living on, which led to the forcible removal of thousands of people from their homes. This "Trail of Tears" led to the deaths of thousands of Native Americans.

Additionally, the U.S. government encouraged the destruction of Native American culture and language. Native American children were forced to attend schools where they were punished if they spoke their native language or practiced their native religion. This policy of forced assimilation was meant to "civilize" Native Americans, and it resulted in the loss of cultural identity for thousands of individuals.

Moreover, the U.S. government broke treaties with Native American tribes, forcing them to give up their land or face military action. For example, the 1868 Treaty of Medicine Lodge Creek promised the Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes a large reservation in western Kansas. However, the U.S. government later reduced that reservation size several times, leading to the loss of the majority of the tribes' land.

The U.S. government also provided soldiers and weapons to colonizers, who killed Native American peoples. The Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890, where over 300 Lakota Sioux were killed, is a dark example of this cooperation between the government and colonizers.

It’s important to note that this topic is complex, and some might disagree on the exact definition of genocide and the role of the government in it. However, the evidence points to the fact that the U.S. government played a significant role in the forced removal, killing, and destruction of Native American peoples and their culture.

I hope that this answer has provided you with some useful information. If there’s anything else that you’d like me to look up or discuss in more detail, let me know.