Cross-Cultural Negotiations with Tribal Entities

When the North American continent was first settled by the Europeans, the land was already inhabited by hundreds of Native American tribes. These Europeans knew they needed to cultivate good relations with these emplaced natives or they would be driven from the continent. This balance of power endured for several generations as the colonists gradually built a fledgling country. When the colonists finally threw off the yoke of the British monarchy, the Native Americans still carried enough power and influence to be treated as a sovereign nation. In fact, the United States Constitution mandated that the Indian tribes be dealt with as sovereign nations. Thus began the establishment of treaties between the U.S. and the various Native American tribes. However, as the U.S. grew, the influence and power of the Indian tribes waned in comparison. Thereafter, from 1820 to 1970, the U.S. engaged in a cyclic attempt to assimilate and eradicate the Native American tribes and their cultures. This abuse of Native American sovereignty finally began to end in the 1970s, with the passage of several federal statutes committed to the recognition and preservation of Native American tribal cultures and tribal governments.