A Comparison: African Americans and Native Americans

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A Comparison: African Americans and Native Americans A Comparison: African Americans and Native Americans African Americans and Native Americans have much in common. Both races have struggled against discrimination, negative perceptions and stereotypes. Both races have experienced overt discriminated, had their heritage stolen or diluted and even with some measure of acknowledged success continue to strive for equality. Each race has a unique story of the path taken to get to where they are today. Yet, neither the African American nor Native American chose their path and both were at the whim of the White man. Through adversity the two races persevered and continue to this day to work at overcoming discrimination while striving to maintain their culture and traditions. Native Americans have a complicated, yet simple, migration story. They are acknowledged as the first settlers of what is now the United States. As the United States evolved Native Americans and their rights also evolved as the White man saw fit. When the British largely controlled the territory, in the year of 1763, they respected the “Indian” land rights and directed that Indian land could only be had by treaty and purchase (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008). However, after the American Revolution Native Americans were treated as if they had no right to the land they were living on. Frequently, Politicians, of the time, took advantage of the Native American and adopted, changed or eliminate policies, pacts and laws to their advantage. As a result of frequently changing rules regarding land ownership and/or use, the Native Americans were pushed West of the Mississippi river. But as the United States began to develop and grow and White people began to move west a series of wars between the White settlers and Native Americans started that lasted nearly 20 years all over land rights (Shmoop
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