Early Native American Policy
Look through the descriptions of these primary sources. Note the date when each was written and whether it dealt with Americans, British, or the French. Then consider “What does this document tell us about the relationship between Native American tribes and the early United States?” Does this source show respectful relations or disrespectful competition.
How does what you see in these early treaties compare to what you know about Indian policy later in U.S. history? (Perhaps you have heard of some of the Indian wars or massacres, the Indian Removal Act or the Trail of Tears, reservations, or Indian boarding schools?) As we study more U.S. history, do you predict that we will see continuity (things stay the same) or change in the way the U.S. related to Native Americans?
