Indians
AMERICAN, the original inhabitants of the western hemisphere.
The name Indian was bestowed by Columbus upon the copper-colored natives who greeted him when he first set foot on the soil of the New World, which he at that time supposed constituted a portion of India. The name has remained, and with the prefix "American" includes all the native races inhabiting the region from Mexico to the Arctic Ocean on the N., and to Tierra del Fuego on the S.
Distribution. - The Esquimaux or Innuit, the most N. of these tribes, extend across the continent along the Polar Sea.
Next below them are the allied Kenai and Athabascan groups, the former represented chiefly by the Yellow Knife or Atna tribe on the Yukon river. The Athabascans are chiefly found between Hudson Bay and the Rocky Mountains, but include besides the Chippeways, Coppermine, Dogrib, and Beaver Indians; the Tlatskanai, Unkwa, and Hoopah Indians of the Oregon coast; the Navajo tribe of the Highlands of New Mexico; the Apaches, ranging from the W. Colorado to Chihuahua and Coahuila; and the Lipani, N. of the mouth of the Rio Grande del Norte. Canada and the United States E. of the Mississippi were formerly inhabited by the Algonquin- Lenape and the Iroquois, generally at war with each other. The extreme W.
INDIANS of the Algonquin region was occupied by the Blackfeet Indians; the Ojibways held the shores of Lake Superior; S. and W. of Hudson Bay were the Crees. The Lenni-Lenape section of the Algonquin- Lenape group comprised the five nations of the Delawares, including the Mohicans. The Iroquois included the Senecas, Cayugas, Onondagas, Oneidas, and Mohawks, who formed a league of five nations, afterward joined by the Tuscaroras. The Hurons were of the Iroquois group. The Dakotah or Sioux group occupied the plains between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi as far S. as Arkansas, and included the Assiniboines, Winnepegs, Iowas, Omahas, Osages, Kansas, Arkansas, Menitarees, Crows, and Mandans. W. of the Mississippi also were the Pawnees and Rickarees about the Nebraska or Platte river, and to the S. E. were the Choctaws and Chickasaws. In the Rocky Mountain regions were the Shoshone or Snake Indians, including the Comanches and others. The Cherokee tribes, which inhabited South and North Carolina, formed a detached group, and the Texas Indians were comprised in many small and diverse tribes. Below these, in New Mexico, a more advanced and distinct family is found called Moquis or Pueblo Indians. Of the numerous families occupying Mexico the Nahuatls or Aztecs were the most powerful and civilized. The Otomis, speaking a peculiar language, were also a numerous people in Mexico.
In Central America the predominating family was the Maya, including the Quichés, Kachiquels, etc. Portions of the Aztec tribes were also found in Central America. In South America the leading and more advanced families were those that made up the Peruvian empire, among which the Inca race and the Aymaras were the chief. The Araucanians, to the S. of these, in Chile, had a considerable resemblance to the Algonquins and Iroquois of North America. The remaining portions of the continent, including the great alluvial tracts of the Atlantic slope, were principally occupied by the Guaranis; but along its N. coast were found the Caribs, who spread also over the Antilles and most of the West Indian Islands. In the extreme S. part of the continent live the tall Patagonians or Tehuelches, and squalid families in some respects resembling the more debased Australians.
Origin. Speculation in regard to the origin of the American Indian has no limit; definite knowledge of his origin is an unknown quantity. By some, the tribes are considered an aboriginal and single stock, by others a mixture of Mon- INDIANS golian, Polynesian and Caucasian types, 1911, the property of the Five Civilized while still others claim that they are deraces on a true American race. Much races on a true American race. Much has also been written in support of the theory that these aborigines migrated that they must be descendants of 10 lost tribes of Israel, while, on the other hand, prominent authorities have sughave set the other way, from America to have set the other way, from America to Asia.
Characteristics. All the Physical American Indians, savage or semi-civilized, possess the same characteristics. All have the same long, lank hair, black as a raven's wing, brown or copper-colored complexion varying to almost white, heavy brows, dull sleepy eyes, seldom expressing any emotion, full and compressed lips, salient and dilated nose. The head is square or rounded, flattened or vertical occiput, with high cheek bones. In demeanor the Indian is haughty, taciturn and stoical.
Wars. The early history of this country is full of accounts of wars with the savages who have always resisted to their utmost the encroachments of the "pale faces." The most important of these conflicts were The Pequot War (1637); King Philip's War (1 Wars of the Six Nations; Black Hawk War (1832) ; and the Seminole War (1835-1839). (1675); Of the more recent conflicts with the The Sioux War broke out in 1876. In tween the Sioux and the Government and some severe fighting took place in South Dakota. In 1898 there was an uprising in Minnesota.
The Indians within the United States who are still under tribal organization occupy a peculiar position. They are not, strictly speaking, a part of the mestic dependent nation." They are conceded the right to regulate their domestic affairs, but this right has been reconceded the right to regulate their dogovernments have been developed by the tribes for formerly known as the Five Civgovernments have been developed by the Choctaws, Creeks, and Seminoles. Each has its own executive, legislature, and judiciary. In 1887 Congress passed an should be considered citizens of the United States without being naturalized. ready been made. By an act passed in INDIANAPOLIS 1911, the property of the Five Civilized Tribes was allotted in severalty and the work of distributing the lands and of was practically completed in 1914, and the tribe had ceased to exist as a political they are now practically all citizens. continued in the years following, until they are now practically all citizens.
The lands of these tribes are situated chiefly in Oklahoma, and oil and other tribes who are the owners of the land, extremely wealthy. They receive royaltribes who are the owners of the land, extremely wealthy. They receive royalties from all oil and other leases granted on their lands. The Indians of these former tribes have reached a comparatively high standard of education. public schools of Oklahoma.
Reservations of other tribes of Indians are scattered throughout the country but are chiefly found in the Middle and Far West. Among the most notable of these are the Navajo tribes in New Mex- Reservation in New Mexico. There are also reservations in Oregon, Montana and Washington, and other States. In 1920 there were nearly 37,000 Indian quarters of a million acres. There were about 300,000 Indians in the United States in 1920.