Native American Rights

AIM: Native Americans Resist - In 1968, a group of Native Americans began the American Indian Movement (AIM).  AIM members and other Indians   sometimes used extreme means to force change or reform.  In 1972, activists took over the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington D.C.  In 1973, a group of armed Sioux seized the town of Wounded Knee, South Dakota.  

Alcatraz Occupation - The Alcatraz occupation brought together hundreds of Indians who came to live on the island and thousands more who identified with the call for self-determination, autonomy, and respect for Indian culture.

Burial Sites Preservation Law & Creation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (1990) and its application in Wisconsin - This state law affects both private and public land ownership rights.  Additionally, environmental responsibility is another question to be researched.  It also impacts the rights of archeologists to conduct their research?  

Chief Joseph, “I Will Fight No More Forever” - The U.S. military fought a very worthy adversary by the name of Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce Indians in the 1870’s.   He fought for the rights of the Nez Perce. But it led to one of the most brilliant military methods in American History. 

Dawes Severalty Act of 1887 - In 1887, Congress passed the Dawes Act, which had a primary purpose to assimilate (absorb) Indians into white society. The sponsors of this act though they were providing humanitarian reform.  The Dawes Act had disastrous results for the Indians in the in the long run. 

Fate of the Fort Laramie Treaty - The Fort Laramie Treaty was one of the first major agreements between the government and the Native Americans.  There were many articles that were agreed upon between the Indian chief D.D. Mitchell and Thomas Fitzpatrick the Indian agent.  

Indian Removal Act of 1830 - The U.S. government passed the Indian Removal Act as a reaction to Native Americans.  This was a way of removing Native Americans from the picture in the states.  

Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 - This act provided for tribal self-government on the reservations.  This act also made federal loans available for Native American businesses and gave Indians help in making the best use of their lands.

Indian Wars - The Indian Wars of the 1800’s are a great example of face-to- face meetings between Native Americans and the U.S. Army.  

King Philip's War: The Reaction to Puritan Expansion - In 1675, tensions between the colonists and the Wampanoag Indians led to a conflict called King Phillip’s War.  This war was actually a reaction to expansion of the Puritans in parts of New England.

Louisiana Purchase - The treaty signed on Apr. 30, 1803, allowed the United States to purchase from France the Louisiana Territory, which was more than 2 million sq km (800,000 sq mi) of land extending from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains.  This topic is most definitely centered on exploration, but also on encounter and exchange with Native Americans.

Menominee Nation vs. the U.S. Government - Various reactions and subsequent actions can be seen in the relationship between the Menominee tribe and the federal government in the year 1954.  

Native American and European Settlers Effect On Each Other - How did the European Settlers of the "New World" effect the lives of the Native Americans.  And how did the Native Americans effect those of the new settlers.     

Navajo Codes in WWII - The idea to use Navajo for secure communications came from Philip Johnston, the son of a missionary to the Navajo. Johnston  knew of the military's search for a code that would withstand all attempts to decipher it.  He then brought to the attention of Major General Clayton B. Vogel, and convinced him the value of the Navajo language's value as codes.

Novitiate of Shawano County - In early 1973, Wisconsin Native Americans took over this religious center in Central Wisconsin.  These Native Americans fought for the rights of Native Americans. This violent meeting in nearby Shawano County truly demonstrates the feelings of both sides on such a heated topic. 

Ojibwa Nation's Struggle To Maintain Its Rights - The Ojibwa Nation has struggled to maintain its rights.  It has tried to enforce its federal treaties, which maintain tribal fishing, hunting, and gathering rights.  

Pontiac's Rebellion - In 1763, a rebellion occurred between Indians and the British.  Chief  Pontiac of the Ottawa Indians united the Ottawa, Miami, Huron, Shawnee and Delaware Indians in a rebellion that was formed to remove the British from the Ohio River Valley.

Protests Against Native American Practices in Wisconsin - Among a handful of other states (Minnesota, Oregon and Washington), Wisconsin in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s has been the location of significant, controversial, and sometimes-violent protests against Native American practices granted through U.S. treaties. In Wisconsin, the controversy affected members of the Ojibwa tribe and especially conflicts over spear fishing.  

Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska and Native Alaskans - In 1741 the Russian discovery of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands.  Which lead to adventurous frontiersmen and fur traders ranging from the Kurile Islands to southeastern Alaska, often exploiting Native seafaring skills to mine the rich supply of sea otter and seal pelts. (World)

Sacagawea - Shoshone Native American woman who served as an interpreter and guide for the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805 and 1806.  Much mystery surrounds her life and even her death.

Sports Teams Named After Indians - The controversy over the Civil Rights of Native American groups vs. high school or college sport teams is an important part of our past, present, and future.  Locally, Mosinee High School would provide some great primary sources on this controversial topic.  Other state schools have or are facing the same problem.  Rights of Native Americans vs. the rights of schools?  

Sitting Bull – A prominent Hunk papa Lakota chief and respected spiritual leader, Sitting Bull (Tatanka Iyotanka) helped unite the Teton Lakota in their struggle to protect their hunting grounds on the Northern Plains during the late nineteenth century.  Along with Crazy Horse, American Horse, Gall, Red Cloud, and Spotted Trail, Sitting Bull led the forces that wiped out the Seventh Cavalry commanded by George Armstrong Custer at the Battle Of Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876.

Taino - The first Native Americas that Christopher Columbus encountered were the Taino Indians. Taino culture impressed both Spanish and modern sociologists. They constructed ceremonial ballparks bounded by upright stone dolmans.  (World) 

Trail of Tears - This encounter involved the U.S. government/U.S. military (the hostile ones) violating the rights of 15, 000 Cherokee Indians in 1838.

Wounded Knee of 1973 - In 1973, radicals occupied the town of Wounded Knee, South Dakota. They held the city at gunpoint.  Liberal white opinion was sympathetic to  the rights of Indians. The 1975 Self-Determination Act – This act gave individual Indian tribes much greater government resources to insure maximum Indian participation in the federal management of Indian policy.