Omar Bennett
The United States of America was founded on the degradation, looting, and mass cultural genocide of Indigenous peoples. Despite the Declaration of Independence's proclamation that all men are created equal, the document also refers to Native Americans as merciless Indian savages. This contradiction highlights the narrow definition of human held by the founding fathers, which did not extend to women, African slaves, or Native Americans. The legacy of this racist and white supremacist ideology persists today, as tribes continue to fight for their rights and protection against corporate development.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Document | Declaration of Independence |
| Referring to Native Americans as | "Merciless Indian Savages" |
| Written by | Thomas Jefferson |
| Signed by | Founding Fathers |
| Founding Fathers' vision of unalienable rights | Limited |
| Founding Fathers' definition of "all men" | Narrow |
| Founding Fathers' perception of Native Americans | Subhuman |
| Native American population decrease | Yes |
| Loss of traditional homelands and cultural ceremonies | Yes |
| Battles and forcible removal of Native Americans from their land | Yes |
| Battles | Battle of Wounded Knee, Battle of Steptoe, Battle of Little Big Horn |
| Acts | Indian Removal Act |
| Marches | Trail of Tears |
| Native American genocide rate | 41.56% |
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What You'll Learn
The Declaration of Independence
The United States of America was founded on the degradation, looting, enslavement, and mass cultural genocide of Indigenous peoples. The Declaration of Independence, adopted on 4 July 1776, is a document that embodies this contradiction. It famously states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal," yet, only 30 lines later, it refers to Native Americans as "merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions." This passage was an outright call to war against the continent's first inhabitants and demonstrates that the founding fathers' notion of "all men" was limited to those they considered truly human.
The Fourth of July, a federal holiday celebrating America's independence, is a reminder of the Indigenous people who bore the wrath of colonisation. Despite the federal government's treaty-based duty to provide basic education, jobs, and healthcare services to American Indians, tribes continue to fight in state legislatures and federal courts for the right to govern their people, manage their affairs, and protect their lands.
In conclusion, the Declaration of Independence, with its reference to "merciless Indian Savages," exemplifies how the United States was built on the oppression and dehumanisation of Indigenous peoples. This legacy of injustice continues to impact Native American communities today, highlighting the need for acknowledgment, accountability, and reconciliation.
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Genocide of Indigenous Peoples
The genocide of Indigenous peoples, also referred to as colonial genocide or settler genocide, is the elimination of Indigenous peoples as a part of the process of colonialism. This elimination can be strictly physical, through mass killings, or cultural and psychological, through oppression and the destruction of Indigenous ways of life.
The Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal," but goes on to refer to Native Americans as "merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions." This contradiction between the stated values of equality and the dehumanizing language used to describe Native Americans reflects the complex history of the United States, which is rooted in the colonization and exploitation of Indigenous lands and cultures.
The colonization of the Americas by various European powers, including the British and Spanish empires, resulted in the death of up to eight million Indigenous people, primarily through the spread of diseases, wars, and atrocities. The population of Indigenous Americans is estimated to have decreased by around 90-95% between the late 15th and late 17th centuries. This devastating decline in population was exacerbated by the intentional spread of diseases, such as smallpox and the plague, to which Indigenous peoples had no resistance. Additionally, the United States government authorized over 1,500 wars, attacks, and raids on Native Americans, with massacres at Sand Creek and Wounded Knee taking the lives of hundreds, including women and children.
The genocide of Indigenous peoples in what became the United States also involved the forced removal of Native Americans from their traditional lands. The Trail of Tears, for example, refers to the forced removal of thousands of East Coast Cherokee by Andrew Jackson, who ordered them on a 1,000-mile deadly winter march to present-day Oklahoma. The Battle of Wounded Knee, the Battle of Steptoe, the Battle of Little Big Horn, the Indian Removal Act, and the destruction of the buffalo population, which the Plains nations depended on for survival, further illustrate the violent displacement and destruction inflicted upon Indigenous peoples.
The legacy of this genocide persists today, with Indigenous peoples continuing to face violence, poverty, and health epidemics. While progress has been made through legislation such as the Not Invisible Act, Savanna's Act, and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, the federal government has yet to fully uphold its treaty-based duty to provide basic education, jobs, and healthcare services to American Indian people.
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Hypocrisy of All Men Are Created Equal
The United States of America was founded on the ideals of freedom and equality, as outlined in the Declaration of Independence. This declaration, written by Thomas Jefferson, includes the famous line, "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal". However, the same document also refers to Native Americans as "merciless Indian Savages". This contradiction reveals the hypocrisy at the heart of America's founding principles.
The Declaration of Independence was signed by founding fathers with a limited vision of unalienable rights. The statement "all men are created equal" was intended to include only white men, as they had a narrow definition of who was actually human. This is evident in the dehumanising language used to describe Native Americans, who were perceived as subhuman and inferior. The founding fathers' true sentiments are further exposed in their actions, which included the forced removal of Native Americans from their traditional lands, cultural genocide, and the degradation, looting, and enslavement of Indigenous peoples.
The Declaration of Independence, therefore, serves as a stark reminder of the racist and white supremacist foundations upon which the nation was built. The very document that proclaimed the equality of all men also justified the domination, exploitation, and violence inflicted upon Native Americans. This hypocrisy continues to have repercussions today, with tribes fighting for their rights to govern themselves, manage their affairs, and protect their lands.
The United States' celebration of its independence on the Fourth of July further perpetuates this hypocrisy. The federal holiday often involves fireworks and patriotism, ignoring the devastating impact this date has on Indigenous people. The continued denial and lack of acknowledgment of this painful history hinder the process of healing and reconciliation. Instead, it reinforces the myth of American exceptionalism and obscures the collective responsibility for addressing the nation's problematic foundations.
In conclusion, the phrase "all men are created equal" in the Declaration of Independence stands in stark contrast to the document's reference to Native Americans as "merciless Indian Savages". This hypocrisy exposes the racist and white supremacist beliefs of the founding fathers, who excluded Native Americans from their vision of equality. The legacy of this hypocrisy persists today, with Native American tribes still fighting for their rights and facing systemic injustices. Acknowledging and addressing this dark chapter in American history is crucial for fostering healing and creating a more inclusive future.
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![A Bibliography of the Constitutions and Laws of the American Indians [1947]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71S5LuxspjL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
The Founding Fathers' Limited Vision
The Declaration of Independence, a document signed by America's founding fathers, states that "all men are created equal". However, this equality did not extend to Native Americans, who were referred to as "merciless Indian Savages" in the same document. This contradiction reveals the limited vision of the founding fathers, who held a narrow definition of humanity that excluded Indigenous peoples. The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, and it is a reminder of the roots of injustice in the United States, which was established through the colonisation and cultural genocide of Indigenous peoples.
One example of the founding fathers' actions is the forced removal of thousands of East Coast Cherokee by Andrew Jackson, who ordered a deadly 1,000-mile winter march to present-day Oklahoma. Additionally, Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the first draft of the Declaration of Independence, referred to himself as the "Great White Father" to the native people. These actions and statements demonstrate a clear bias and a lack of respect for the rights and humanity of Indigenous peoples.
The legacy of the founding fathers' limited vision persists today. Tribes continue to fight for their rights to govern themselves, manage their affairs, and protect their lands. The federal government has also failed to uphold its treaty obligations to provide basic education, jobs, and healthcare services to American Indian people. This ongoing struggle is a reminder of the systemic issues that stem from the founding fathers' failure to recognise the equality and rights of all people, regardless of their race or gender.
In conclusion, the founding fathers' limited vision, as evident in the Declaration of Independence and their actions towards Native Americans, had severe consequences. Their failure to recognise the equality and rights of Indigenous peoples led to injustice, cultural genocide, and ongoing systemic issues that persist in the present day. It is important to acknowledge and address these historical injustices to create a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
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Ongoing Battles and Forced Removal
The United States' historical treatment of Native Americans has been a complex and often tragic chapter in the nation's history, marked by ongoing battles and forced removal of Native Americans from their ancestral lands. From the early days of colonial expansion to the modern era, the struggle between European settlers and their descendants, and Native American tribes has been a defining aspect of the American story.
As European settlers pushed westward, they came into direct conflict with Native American tribes, vying for control of the same lands. This led to a series of violent encounters and military campaigns, with both sides suffering losses. The United States government, seeking to expand its territory and consolidate its power, often employed forced removal as a means of clearing land for white settlement and "civilizing" Native Americans by relocating them to designated areas.
One of the most notorious examples of forced removal was the Indian Removal Act of 1830, enacted by President Andrew Jackson. This legislation authorized the president to grant empty lands west of the Mississippi River to Native American tribes in exchange for their ancestral homelands in the eastern United States. The act specifically targeted the "Five Civilized Tribes": the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole nations. Despite having adopted many aspects of white culture, including Christianity and European-style education, these tribes were forcibly removed from their lands and endured devastating losses during their relocation. The Cherokee Nation, for instance, suffered immense casualties during their forced march west, now known as the Trail of Tears, with thousands perishing from disease, starvation, and exposure.
Similar incidents of forced removal and violence occurred throughout the 19th century, including the Long Walk of the Navajo in 1864 and the continued encroachment on Sioux lands in the Dakota Territory, leading up to the infamous Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. As white settlers continued to push westward, the federal government broke treaty after treaty, often relegating Native Americans to less desirable lands or confining them to increasingly smaller reservations.
The late 19th century also witnessed a shift in federal policy toward assimilation, aiming to eradicate Native American cultures and traditions. This era, often referred to as the "Allotment Era," involved breaking up tribal lands into individual parcels and distributing them to Native American heads of household, with the "surplus" lands then sold to white settlers. This policy, combined with the establishment of boarding schools for Native American children, where they were forced to abandon their cultural practices and adopt white customs, dealt a severe blow to Native American communities and their ways of life.
In conclusion, the history of ongoing battles and forced removal between European settlers and their descendants and Native Americans is a somber reminder of the injustices endured by these indigenous peoples. It underscores the need for a more comprehensive understanding of this dark chapter in American history and ongoing efforts toward reconciliation and healing.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the US Constitution does not explicitly refer to Native Americans as savages. However, the Declaration of Independence, which was signed before the US Constitution, does refer to Native Americans as "merciless Indian savages."
The Declaration of Independence is a document that was signed on July 4, 1776, declaring the colonies' independence from Great Britain and their intention to form a new nation.
The phrase "merciless Indian savages" reflects the perception of Native Americans by the founding fathers as subhuman and justifies the colonization and violence inflicted upon them. It also highlights the hypocrisy of the statement "all men are created equal" in the same document.
The use of the word "savages" to describe Native Americans has been used to justify their removal from their traditional lands, cultural genocide, and the denial of their rights and freedoms. It has also contributed to the systemic racism and white supremacy that continues to affect Native American communities today.
