Indians, also known as American Indians, were the dominant nation of the region before Europeans set foot on the continent. Before colonization, this ancient community was spread across a vast geography stretching from the northern parts of Alaska to FloridaOnce upon a time, dozens of different Native American tribes existed on the territory of the United States of America with their deep-rooted cultures. However, as the continent came under
European domination, a terrible policy of assimilation of the Indians was initiated. Thus, the traces of this ancient culture have largely disappeared. The Native American population has declined dramatically. However, Native American culture is struggling to survive in the United States, albeit under very difficult conditions. Today, more than 9 million Indians live on US soil. Here are 7 surprising facts you should know about the Indians, the ancient people of North America
Navahos, the most populous Native American community in the US
This Navoho-speaking community has 400,000 registered members as of 2021. For this reason, the most widely spoken Native American language in the US is Navoha! Furthermore, the community exists today in vast territories in regions such as Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
It was not until 1924 that they were accepted as citizens of the United States.
Some Native American communities who agreed to live on territories designated by the central government were recognized as US citizens in 1887. However, this citizenship did not include some basic rights such as voting! It was left to the states to decide whether Indians could vote or not. Of course, many states were in no hurry to grant Indians this basic right! This inhumane practice ended only in 1965 with the enactment of the “Voting Rights Act”…
In 1830, they were forced to emigrate by a law
However, in 1830, with a law signed by then-US President Andrew Jackson, thousands of Indians living in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee were exiled to Oklahoma. Thousands of them lost their lives during this migration.
Indians created a democratic structure hundreds of years ago
The so-called Haudenosaunee Confederacy was made up of 5 different Iroquoian-speaking tribes. Some researchers believe that the structure formed by the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca tribes emerged in 1142.
The Haudenosaunee Confederacy is considered one of the oldest democratic entities in history, legally regulating relations between tribes.
Indians were the first to cultivate most of the most common agricultural products
According to a 2016 report, 60 percent of the global food supply is made up of agricultural products originating in North America. Today’s common foods such as corn, beans, squash, potatoes, and tomatoes were first cultivated by Native Indians hundreds of years ago…
There are 574 officially recognized Indian tribes in the United States
Today, 229 of these tribes exist in Alaska. There are 109 Indian tribes in the state of Florida. Florida is also the region with the highest Indian population today…
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