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LONGBEFOREthewhitemansetfootonAmericansoil,theAmericanIndians,orrathertheNativeAmericans,hadbeenlivinginAmerica.WhentheEuropeanscamehere,therewereprobablyabout10millionIndianspopulatingAmericanorthofpresent-dayMexico.AndtheyhadbeenlivinginAmericaforquitesometime.ItisbelievedthatthefirstNativeAmericansarrivedduringthelastice-age,approximately20,000-30,000yearsagothroughaland-bridgeacrosstheBeringSound,fromnortheasternSiberiaintoAlaska.TheoldestdocumentedIndianculturesinNorthAmericaareSandia(15000BC),Clovis(12000BC)andFolsom(8000BC)AlthoughitisbelievedthattheIndiansoriginatedinAsia,fewifanyofthemcamefromIndia.ThenameIndianwasfirstappliedtothembyChristopherColumbus,whobelievedmistakenlythatthemainlandandislandsofAmericawerepartoftheIndies,inAsia.So,whentheEuropeansstartedtoarriveinthe16th-and17th-centurytheyweremetbyNativeAmericans,andenthusiasticallyso.TheNativesregardedtheirwhite-complexionedvisitorsassomethingofamarvel,notonlyfortheiroutlandishdressandbeardsandwingedshipsbutevenmorefortheirwonderfultechnology-steelknivesandswords,fire-belchingarquebusandcannon,mirrors,hawkbellsandearrings,copperandbrasskettles,andsoon.However,conflictseventuallyarose.Asastarter,thearrivingEuropeansseemedattunedtoanotherworld,theyappearedtobeoblivioustotherhythmsandspiritofnature.NaturetotheEuropeans-andtheIndiansdetectedthis-wassomethingofanobstacle,evenanenemy.Itwasalsoacommodity:Aforestwassomanyboardfeetoftimber,abeavercolonysomanypelts,aherdofbuffalosomanyrobesandtongues.EventheIndiansthemselveswerearesource-soulsripefortheJesuit,Dominican,orPuritanplucking.ItwastheEuropeans'culturalarrogance,coupledwiththeirmaterialisticviewofthelandanditsanimalandplantbeings,thattheIndiansfoundrepellent.Europeans,insum,wereregardedassomethingmechanical-soullesscreatureswhowieldeddiabolicallyingenioustoolsandweaponstoaccomplishmadends.TheEuropeansbroughtwiththemnotonlyadesireandwilltoconquerthenewcontinentforallitsmaterialrichness,buttheyalsobroughtwiththemdiseasesthathittheIndianshard.ConflictsdevelopedbetweentheNativeAmericansandtheInvaders,thelatterarrivinginoverwhelmingnumbers,asmanyasthestarsinheaven.TheEuropeanswereaccustomedtoownlandandlaidclaimtoitwhiletheyconsideredtheIndianstobenomadswithnointeresttoclaimlandownership.TheconflictsledtotheIndianWars,theIndianRemovalActempoweredbyPresidentAndrewJacksonin1830andotheractsinstitutedbytheEuropeansinordertoaccomplishtheirobjectives,astheyviewedthematthetime.InthesewarstheIndiantribeswereatagreatdisadvantagebecauseoftheirmodestnumbers,nomadiclife,lackofadvancedweapons,andunwillingnesstocooperate,evenintheirowndefense.Theendofthewarsmoreorlesscoincidedwiththeendofthe19thcentury.Thelastmajorwarwasnotreallyawar,itwasamassacrein1890whereIndianwarriors,women,andchildrenwereslaughteredbyU.S.cavalrymenatWoundedKnee,SouthDakota,inafinalspasmofferocity.Astupefyingrecordofgreedandtreachery,ofheroismandpain,hadcometoanend,arecordforeverstainingtheimmensehistoryofthewestwardmovement,whichinitsdramaandtragedyisalsodistinctivelyandunforgettablyAmerican.UndersignedbeinganEuropeanemigratingtotheU.S.duringthelatterpartofthe20thcentury,cannotfullycomprehendwhathappenedduringthepastfewcenturies.IamsuremanydescendantsofemigrantsaswellasmanyNativeAmericansfeelthesameway.Weareallaproductofourtimeandthecircumstancesprevalentatthetime.IfIhadlivedwiththeEuropeansinAmericaduringthe19thcentury,wouldIhaveembracedwhatwasgoingonthen?IfIhadlivedwiththeGermansinthe1930sand40s,wouldIhaveembracedwhatwasgoingoninGermanythen?IfIhadlivedinScandinaviaduringmedievaltimewitnessingthehorrorsofslaveryandkillings,wouldIhaveembracedwhatwasgoingonthen?(TheNordiccountriespracticedslaveryduringthemiddleages,amastercouldforanyreasonkillhisslave.Abolishedin1335)Thesearehardquestionsforanyonetohonestlyanswer.Itiseasytotossaroundopinionsnow,attheendofthe20thcenturybeingconvenientlyremovedfromcircumstancesandconditionsinadistantandforeigntime.Thiswebsitewilltrytopresentasatrueandaccuratepictureaspossibleofthepast,butnotdwellonit.However,itisimportantforonesolereasonandthatistolearnfromthepastandmoveintothe21stcenturyasbetterhumanbeings.Afterall,weareONEpeopleunderGodandwecanonlylookbacktothepastaswhatitis-history.Nowweattempttocooperatetothebestofourabilityinthepresentandwearelookingforwardtothefutureforabetterworld.LetusonceagaincrosstheBeringland-bridgeandsailtheMayflower,butthistimetogetherforthecommongoalofbuildingupmutualrespectandtrust.Thebestwaytoaccomplishthisgoal,webelieve,isforthiswebsitetocontributebypresentinglinkstothemostsincere,factual,reliableandhonestweb-sitesaroundonthissubjectandletinterestedpartiesactivelyparticipate.Wewilltrytocoverallaspectsofourcommonhistoryinregardstothehistoryanddevelopmentofthewest.YouwillfindmanyNativeAmericanweb-siteswithanabundanceoffactsandsourcesofinformationhere.Pleasejoininifyouthinkyouhavesomethingtocontribute!