Native Americans and History of Encounters Topdown History

Native Americans and History of Encounters

Top-down History of Native Americans • Bit players in colonial struggles • Tragic victims of colonial expansion • Inevitable defeat in the face of American “greatness” • Native policies are merely “defensive”

Challenges to the Conventional Story of Native Americans • 1750 -1850 – Comanche • • dominated the Southwest Restrained Spanish, Mexican, Anglo-American, & French imperialism Led to Spanish-Mexican loss of the Southwest/North Comanche grew in power and peoples Fought, coexisted, created, and endured

Treaties • • Jay’s Treaty(1794) Treaty of San Lorenzo(1795) Mission of ”civilization” Indian farming & contradictions • Manipulation of Indian debt • Decreasing land holdings

Apocalyptic visions vs. Accomodation • Fears • Hope and promises • Trout, Ottawas, Chippewas – war-club dance – destroy white men • Coming Apocalypse

Migration of the “Five Civilized Tribes”

Defining Conquest? • Military control • Violent revolution • Slow assimilation

European Imperial Fantasies

European Actual Domination

Comanche Empire: 1750 -1850 • Rise of the Comanche • • Adaptability Alliance with the Utes Horses Lack of agriculture • Culture of the Comanche • • Culture of Treaties Trade & Economics Politics Leadership

Southern Comanche Migration

Comanche Empire(1800 s)

Comanches: Cutting Off Trade

Comanche Political Culture • What is an empire? • Do maps equal real power? • Does conquest involve land? • Did not expel people • Coexist, control, and exploit • Livestock and slaves were private property