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1492
Christopher Columbus finds America
After a long voyage in which Christopher Columbus intended to find a direct route from Europe to Asia. Instead he landed at the Americas where he would proceed to torture and abuse Native people there. This is the first instance in history of Native Americans being abused by people coming to their territory. A Youtube video on the truth behind Christopher Columbus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2gcRbAgbFU -
Pilgrims arrive in Plymouth Rock
The pilgrims arrive in Plymouth Rock after a long journey on the Mayflower. This leads to them encountering Native Americans, and while they do have a bad experience with them at first, after around a year of hardships, they celebrate the first Thanksgiving with some Native Americans. -
The French and Indian War
This war, also known as the Seven years war, is one of the most misunderstood event in history. In fact, most people believe that this war is between the French and the Native Americans, when in reality, it is between Britain and France, with the Native Americans simply taking a side. -
The Treaty of Hopewell is signed
The Treaty of Hopewell is signed in Georgia, protecting Cherokee Native Americans in the United States and sectioning off their land. -
The Treaty of Holston is signed
The Treaty of Holston is signed, in which the Cherokee give up all their land outside of the borders previously established. -
The Battle of Timbers
The Battle of Timbers, the last major battle over Northwest territory between Native Americans and the United States following the Revolutionary War, commences and results in U.S. victory. -
Sacagawea joins Lewis and Clark on their voyage.
Lewis and Clark run into Sacagawea and realize that she could be of use to them in their expedition. This fits right in with how America, throughout history, often only use Native Americans to help them, but then turn around and colonize their land. -
James Madison signs a declaration of war against Britain.
President James Madison signs a declaration of war against Britain, beginning the war between U.S. forces and the British, French and Native Americans over independence and territory expansion. -
President Andrew Jackson attacks the Creek Indians
Andrew Jackson, along with U.S. forces and Native American allies attack Creek Indians who opposed American expansion and encroachment of their territory in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. The Creeks cede more than 20 million acres of land after their loss. -
Andrew Jackson signs the Indian Removal Act
President Andrew Jackson signs the Indian Removal Act, which gives plots of land west of the Mississippi River to Native American tribes in exchange for land that is taken from them. -
The Trail of Tears
With only 2,000 Cherokees having left their land in Georgia to cross the Mississippi River, President Martin Van Buren enlists General Winfield Scott and 7,000 troops to speed up the process by holding them at gunpoint and marching them 1,200 miles. More than 5,000 Cherokee die as a result of the journey. The series of relocations of Native American tribes and their hardships and deaths during the journey would become known as the Trail of Tears. -
Indian Appropriations Act is passed
Congress passes the Indian Appropriations Act, creating the Indian reservation system. Native Americans aren’t allowed to leave their reservations without permission. -
First Students attend Carlisle Indian School
The first students attend Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania, the country’s first off-reservation boarding school. The school, created by Civil War veteran Richard Henry Pratt, is designed to assimilate Native American students. -
Dawes Act is signed.
President Grover Cleveland signs the Dawes Act, giving the president the authority to divide up land allotted to Native Americans in reservations to individuals. -
Charles Curtis becomes First Native American Senator
Charles Curtis becomes the first Native American U.S. Senator. -
Congress Passes the Indian Citizenship Act
U.S. Congress passes the Indian Citizenship Act, granting citizenship to all Native Americans born in the territorial limits of the country. Previously, citizenship had been limited, depending on what percentage Native American ancestry a person had, whether they were veterans, or, if they were women, whether they were married to a U.S. citizen. -
Indian Civil Rights Act
The Indian Civil Rights Act is signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, granting Native American tribes many of the benefits included in the Bill of Rights.
