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