Many people believe that the time of American Expansion, during mid 1800’s and well into the early 1900’s, was a time of triumph or an era that created a sense of nationalism. This rings true but not for all. The negative effects that expansion had on the lives of American Indians, preferably called Native Americans, is evident still to this day. The push of Native Americans westward to make room for incoming European Immigrants is known as the Great Removal.  Or the revoking of established treaties between the Whites and Native Americans that prevented Whites from invading Indigenous American lands. The removal was great in scale, though ‘great’ is not how Native American’s would describe being forced off of their scared land and onto reservations.

With limited Census data, the actual migration of the Native Americans is hard to visualize. Indigenous Americans were seen as insignificant and unimportant, thus proper documentation of their upheaval was left unreported. Since there is no physical records of exactly how many souls where uprooted and forced to move from their homeland remains relativity unknown. Historians do know that 4,000+ Cherokee died along what came to be known as the  Trail of Tears or the 1,000 mile walk westward. Their death was caused by famine, exposure and brutality. Bodies of the dead where left without proper burials, meaning their souls are forever trapped in this dimension. Legend say that their unsettling cries can still be heard along the Trail.

Despite the lack of documentation, historians believe the estimated headcount of Native Americans would add up to about 16,000.

Where the Native Americans  were settled and have moved since can be seen on the maps below. (Census Information)

This map demonstrates the population of American Indian’s in the 1970’s (our projects’ earliest Census record.) On the map, the red represents the most heavily populated American Indian areas. Note that the pockets of red are dominantly in Western and Midwestern America.

The next map shows the 1990’s. There is little change as to where the most heavily populated American Indian areas are located. This demonstrates that even in the present day that the effects of imperialism are still felt and unresolved.

Though, no longer restricted to stay on reservations because of the American Indian Movement established in 1968. AIM was created to attempt to restore the rights that were taken way from Indigenous Americans. The movement was “Like a flying saucer. Many had heard about it though few saw it.” Their efforts and war on the American government was effective in getting recognition on their poor treatment.  However, discrimination against Native Americans is present still to this day.

Numerous American Indians have made the reservations their official homes. Returning to the scared land of their ancestors brings them pain and memories of brutal events their ancestors endured. Also, the land they once loved has been taken over; what once was scared has in a sense lost its magic due to industrialization and settlement.

Thus,  it came as no surprise that on the maps for poverty in the 1970’s and the 1990’s areas that are predominately Native American are also areas that are poverty stricken. This is because of many tribes original refusal to give up their traditional customs and integrate into modern American society. Due to this, many Native American children did not receive the education that would allow them access to higher paying jobs. Thus, many worked/work low paying labor jobs and receive little pay because of their ethnicity.

This poverty is also the result of discrimination and hostilities that Natives experienced in the past and in modern day. An example being the Federal Trust Doctrine which “assigns the government as the trustee (control) of Indian affairs. That trusteeship continues today, but it has not served Indians well.” The fact that American Indians are  kept separate but are allowed to handle their own affairs is just one example how they are belittled in society.

(1970)

 

 

(1990)

In the 1990 graph, the Recession, had an nation wide effect. Notice that dark red areas cover the majority of the map. Including the areas of Native American Settlement.

 

Works Cited

(1990 Census) Minnesota Population Center. National Historical Geographic Information System: Version 2.0. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota 2011.

Gascoigne, Bamber. “History of the Great Removal.” HistoryWorld. n.p. 2001. Web. 7, Dec. 2015.

Holmes, Ellen. “A Trail of 4,000 Tears.” TeachingHistory.org. Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University. n.d. Web. 7, Dec. 2015.

Immigration, Native Americans. “Removing Native Americans.” Liberty of  Congress. n.p. n.d. Web. 7, Dec. 2015.

Regan, Shawn. “5 Ways the Government Keeps Native Americans in Poverty.” Forbes/Opinion. n.p. 2014. Web. 7, Dec. 2015.

Smith, Paul Chaat. Warrior, Allen Robert. “Like a Hurricane.” GoogleBooks. New York Press. 1996. Web. 7, Dec. 2015.