. Introduction
The United States of America is a country whose history has been shaped by immigration. Nevertheless, one should not forget that the native people of America, including Eskimos, Aleuts and American Indians) contributed to what is now known as the United States. Interestingly, American Indians have been treated in history often like one of the other minority and immigrant groups. It is, however, obvious that American Indians have a special status within the United States because they are the indigenous people of the continent and in contrast to other ethnic minority groups they experienced the European settlement in the “New World” right from the beginning.
This paper will deal with the history of American Indians from 1941 to the present. This is supposed to be a rather contemporary view on American Indians in the U.S. society, since there have been a large number of studies concerning the American Indian past. The year 1941 marked an important date for the whole globe: It was the beginning of World War II, which changed the worldwide status quo. Due to this war, the Unites States became the world’s most powerful nation in terms of military, economy, and policy. This development has had of course an impact on the U.S. society with its entire people – the white European population, the Afro-American population, the Asian population, etc. During this process, the United States became the modern society we all know now, and for this reason the situation changed for minority groups, too In this paper, the focus will be on the status of American Indians in the U.S. society and their ethnic identity, but it will also be questioned if and how American Indians show their ties to the United States as their mother country.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Historical Review
II.1. The First Encounters
II.2. 1783-1887 Conquest, Removal and Relocation
II.3. 1887-1928 Allotment and Assimilation
II.4. 1928-1945 Tribal Restoration
III. Federal Policy regarding American Indians after the Second Word War
III.1. Termination
III.2. The Way to Self-Determination
IV. The Legal Rights of American Indians
IV.1. Civil Liberties
IV.1.1. American Citizenship
IV.1.2. Voting Rights
IV.2. American Indian Religious Freedom
IV.3. The Rights to Basic Governmental Services
IV.3.1. Eligibility for Educational Benefits
IV.3.2. Eligibility for Social Service Benefits
V. Native American Contemporary problems
V.1. Poverty
V.2. Health Problems
V.3. Education
VI. Ethnic Renewal
VI.1. American Indian Activism since the 1960s
VI.1.1. The Fish-Ins
VI.1.2. The Red Power Movement
VI.2. Repatriation
VI.2.1. The Revival of American Indian Religions
VI.2.2. The Revival of Traditional American Indian Languages
VI.3. American Indian Identity or American Identity?! - The Participation of Indians in World War II
VII. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the history of American Indians from 1941 to the present, focusing on their status within U.S. society, their fight for self-determination, and the evolution of their ethnic identity in relation to their participation as American citizens.
- Historical overview of federal policies post-World War II.
- Analysis of the legal rights of American Indians, including citizenship and religious freedom.
- Investigation of contemporary challenges such as poverty, health, and education.
- Examination of ethnic renewal and activist movements like the Red Power movement.
- Exploration of the dual identity of American Indians during and after the Second World War.
Excerpt from the Book
The Red Power Movement
The term “Red Power” first came up at a convention of the National Congress of American Indians. Vine Deloria, Jr. defined the content beyond that term as follows. American Indians wanted to have the power in political as well as in economic terms in order to run their lives as they want it. This position derived from the National Indian Youth Council, which demanded a more assertive defense of American Indian rights. The Red Power Movement thus is the renewed defense of American Indian self determination with the main aim that the National Congress of American Indians was to be consulted before legislative pieces concerning Indians were passed (Chief Red Fox, 116).
The beginning of the Red Power Movement probably was marked by the occupation of the federal prison on Alcatraz Island in late 1969 (American Indians, 42). This occupation was going to lead to peak of American Indian activism in the twentieth century. The main goal of the occupation of Alcatraz was to establish this island as an American Indian cultural center. Leaders of this occupation claimed that such a cultural center would help to keep alive traditional Indian culture. Although the occupation of Alcatraz succeeded in attaining attention for the problematic nature of American Indian affairs, it did not achieve its specific goal of creating an Indian cultural center. By June 1971, the occupiers had realized that the federal government would not acknowledge the Indian claims to this island. Many of them had already left Alcatraz due to shortages of food, water and electricity. On June 11, 1971, the occupation ended peaceful and the fifteen American Indians who were still on the island were removed (Chef Red Fox, 122).
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: This chapter defines the scope of the paper, emphasizing the special status of American Indians as the indigenous people of the United States, and clarifies the terminology used.
II. Historical Review: This section provides a chronological overview of American Indian history, covering early encounters, conquest, removal, and the subsequent efforts at assimilation through the mid-20th century.
III. Federal Policy regarding American Indians after the Second Word War: This chapter analyzes the post-war policy shifts from termination toward the promotion of self-determination.
IV. The Legal Rights of American Indians: This section discusses the evolution of civil liberties, voting rights, and the protection of religious freedoms and basic government services for American Indians.
V. Native American Contemporary problems: This chapter addresses current socioeconomic challenges including poverty, health crises like alcoholism, and the struggle for adequate, culturally relevant education.
VI. Ethnic Renewal: This section explores the rise of activism, the Red Power movement, and the efforts to revive traditional languages and religions as part of an ethnic resurgence.
VII. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the findings, highlighting the progress in legal status while acknowledging the persistent disparities and the growth of a dual American Indian identity.
Keywords
American Indians, United States, Self-determination, Termination, Red Power Movement, Tribal sovereignty, Civil rights, Religious freedom, Poverty, Health care, Education, Ethnic renewal, Cultural identity, World War II, Assimilation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this work?
The paper provides an overview of the status and history of American Indians in the United States from 1941 to the present day.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The work covers federal policies, legal rights, ongoing contemporary challenges like poverty and health, and the cultural revitalization of American Indian tribes.
What is the main objective of the research?
The study aims to understand the socio-political situation of American Indians and to analyze if and how they balance their ties to tribal identity with their role as American citizens.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The author employs a historical-analytical approach, reviewing literature and legal developments to trace the evolution of American Indian affairs over several decades.
What does the main body cover?
The body addresses major historical eras of policy, specific legislation concerning Indian rights, contemporary socioeconomic struggles, and the emergence of activism and identity movements in the late 20th century.
Which keywords define the paper?
Key terms include American Indians, self-determination, tribal sovereignty, Red Power, civil rights, and cultural revitalization.
How did the Red Power movement influence activism?
It marked a shift toward militant and assertive defense of rights, using the media and occupations to force the federal government to address broken treaties and tribal autonomy.
Why was the occupation of Alcatraz significant?
While it failed to secure a cultural center, it succeeded in bringing national attention to the plight of American Indians and signaled a new era of proactive activism.
What role did World War II play in shaping identity?
The war served as a turning point where many American Indians demonstrated their patriotism as Americans while simultaneously strengthening their own sense of pride and tribal heritage.
- Quote paper
- Stephanie Machate (Author), 2005, A view on American Indians in the United States from World War II to the present, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/75832
