A Harsh Reality: Native Americans, a struggle for survival

Could you imagine yourself being kicked out of your hometown and be forced to change your ways of life? Sadly, the Natives Americans were those people being forced. The whites forced Native Americans to follow their rules, be like them, act like them…everything like them.

During the 1880’s, the Sioux from Minnesota were forced to move away from their hometown by the whites. Also, whites banned many traditions from their cultures. Native Americans felt like they were being treated like animals, like their voice didn’t count. When they were kicked out of their land, Natives were promised a better place to live. Instead what they got was abuse, lies, and suffering.

Whites limited the Native American’s freedom. Native Americans couldn’t practice their religion, couldn’t express themselves without being killed…everything they did as defense had a cruel consequence. In the Lakota Reservation, whites banned Ghost Dance for no reason. The whites, as a form of making themselves feel superior and taking away freedom, forced the Native Americans to convert into Christianity. The Natives fought till the end to not give in into the whites’ power, they maintained faithful to their culture. Basically, the white’s freedom for the Native Americans was following their rules & their restrictions.

            The whites were also really violent. For almost any reason they would immediately take out a gun and shoot whoever it was…whether they were women, children, senior citizens…anyone! Many battles broke out even between Native Americans because of differences and power. Whites promised the Native Americas many land, leadership and when they realized they’ve being lied to, battles started. Red Clow signed a treaty with the Whites, where he was promised land and power over his people. The whites took advantage of the naïve Native Americans. They abuse them, tortured them without any regrets.  Since the Native Americas weren’t as advanced as the whites they did get killed, massacred. Most Natives feared and they just went along with the cruel restrictions the whites had for them.  

Native Americans had no other choice but to assimilate. Most of them still kept their culture but had harsh consequences. The younger ones did assimilate. Assimilating was good is some ways because it helped them advanced more in their lifestyle. Charles Eastman, a member of the Sioux tribe, was taken from his hometown along with his father. He assimilated, starting by choosing his ‘’Christian’’ name which he chose Charles. As he grew he was able to go to college and become a Doctor. Many other Sioux members ‘’civilized’’ and found better lifestyle

Native Americans only wanted freedom. They only meant for peace for everyone. In search of that freedom, the Natives were abused, lied to and mostly killed. The ‘’freedom’’ the whites offered the Native Americans was assimilating them. Most Indians did not want that and they paid the harsh consequences. Other had no choice and civilized and sometimes it ended for the best because out of that they found a better lifestyle.