...Native Americans (including Alaskan natives) consist of 5.2 million people making them only 1% of the whole United States population. There are over 566 recognized tribes and 324 federally-recognized Native American reservations. The largest tribes are Navajo, Cherokee, Choctaw, Sioux, Chippewa, Apache, Blackfeet, Iroquois, and Pueblo. Although Native Americans live all throughout the United States, they mostly populate California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Texas, New York, New Mexico, Washington, North Carolina, Florida, and Michigan (US Bureau of the Census). To be considered a Native American depends on who you ask because the rules for each tribe varies. Some tribes use the method known as the blood quantum which defines membership by the degree...
Words: 1928 - Pages: 8
...Health Among American Indians and Alaskan Natives Shelley Thornton Grand Canyon University Family Centered Health Promotion NRS-429V Minerva Gonzales December 06, 2015 Health Among American Indians and Alaskan Natives When compared to the National average inequality and the persistent challenges that American Indians and Alaska Natives face are troubling. Demographics and economy along with poor health standards, drug and alcohol use and disproportionate disease burden exist due to inadequate education, high rates of unemployment, discrimination in the delivery of health care and cultural differences. In this paper we will explore Native Americans current health status and the barriers that influence health in their culture, socioeconomic and sociopolitical groups along with how race, ethnicity and education influence health and address current health status in addition to how they define health promotion and what health disparities exist. American Indians and Alaska Natives are people that have origins in the North, South and Central America that maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment. “There are 562 federally recognized tribes in the US, including 223 village groups in Alaska; about 100 other tribes are recognized by individual states. There are also tribes that have existed since this country was formed but do not have federal or state recognition” ("American Indians," p. 2). Per records from “2012 there were estimated 5.2 million people” ("Profile...
Words: 1506 - Pages: 7
...Native American Oppression Santucee Bell Case Western Reserve University Native American Oppression Introduction & Focal Population Imagine living in a world that consistently devalues your existence and is heavily populated with individuals who are quick to use and abuse your resources, but are slow to share the wealth that is accumulated from those resources. How would you feel? Unfortunately, certain populations do not have to visualize the disparity that is pictured above. This is because inequity is one of the most demoralizing social issues that plague America today. The worst thing about inequity is the fact that it continues to disproportionately burden individuals who are categorize as being minority in today’s society. This is especially true for the American Indian/Alaska Native population. This population continues to be one of the most vulnerable minority groups. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin: 2010 (2011), “American Indian or Alaska Native refer to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central American) and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment” (Humes, Jones, & Ramirez, 2011, p. 3). 2,475,956 out of 308, 745,538 people that live in America are believed to be American Indian/Alaska Native, including those who report affiliations with tribes and South and Central American Indian groups (Humes et. al,, 2011, p. 4). This number is...
Words: 5989 - Pages: 24
...Weichao Xu Sciology 101 Chapter 7 Native American 1. Sociohistorical Perspective Early Encounters A. Place the pre-European colonization number of Native Americans become United States. a) Tribes changed their values, customs and beliefs. B. Debate about native American and European culture. a) Indigenous people to be savage. b) Incorrupt children of nature always engage in pleasurable activities. C. The stereotype of Native Americans is negative. 1. They obstruct Europeans from occupying the native americans’ land. 2. Cruel, treacherous, lying and dirty health. 3. Scalps, firearms and firewater. D. Outsiders frequently generalize about Native Americans. 1. The Native’s American language decrease from 300 to 175 . 2. English become the main language in home, school and work place. E. The relationship between Native Americans and whites. 1. Whits was the newcomers to Native Americans. a) Distrust b) Uneasy truces c) Violent hostilities F. The major issue whose way of life would prevail. 1. European a) Beatings, hangings , and imprisonment. b) The land would be developed further. 2. Native American Natural state, abounding with fish and wildlife. G. Forced relocation of Native American tribes to encourage westward expansion. ...
Words: 2177 - Pages: 9
...fail to comply with the requirements. Native American Cultures before European Contact Introduction Before Columbus’s unexpected landfall in 1492, North America has long been untouched by “outsiders”. There were barely any contact or connections between North American cultures and the rest of the world. After 1492, however, people of generations (mostly European colonists) were motivated to come to the “New World”, hoping for the wealth this new-found-land could possibly bestow them. Their encounters with Native American people were therefore inevitable. The Native American people who had resided in the Americas for thousands of years were, to many of the outsiders’ surprise, not some sort of wild “savages”(Boyer et al., p.20). They were comprised of many different communities, or tribes. And the interactions among the tribes were frequent, leading to the fact that the Native American cultures, in general, have formed many common features. The key word to describe the Native American cultures before European contact, if any, can be ‘Equilibrium’. Throughout the history of Native American Indians before 1492, ‘Equilibrium’ had been Native American’s philosophy in dealing with in-tribe, inter-tribe relations as well as their relationship with nature. To illustrate how Native American Indians achieved ‘Equilibrium’, I will analyze their social structure, religious beliefs and social values. Social Structure The Native American Indians are mostly bonded together by...
Words: 1001 - Pages: 5
...Dameka Jones Soc 220 Essay 1 Social problems in our society need to be recognized and addressed. However, there are so many different focuses, limited light can efficiently be shed on each. I believe that social problems in our culture and world that are recognized can be taken advantage of by the media and twisted in ways suitable for politicians and the powerful in our society. Unfortunately, social problems can never truly be solved and despite the knowledge we have of repeating history, we are doomed to dwell in our never-ending troubles. Our attempts to solve one social issue will cause another issue to be created or rise. The book by Ira Silver contained very relevant and interesting social problems. It was hard to decide which two to discuss, so I was drawn to ones that I witnessed that compelled me to find more information about. The first I am going to discuss is the recurring issues that are discussed in chapter 4. Police mistreatment of blacks I have witnessed many times. I was in the position in life to be exposed to the police patrolling the streets of the poorer sides of town. The areas I lived in were where black populations were high because due to our American history, blacks were one of the largest groups of minorities neglected by society. They have been predispositioned to live in poverty. Police has ignored me while the friend I was with would be harassed and interrogated for no reason. It interested me that the book pointed out the fact police have...
Words: 1058 - Pages: 5
...Did the status of ethnic minorities and women change in the 1960’s? There is little doubt that the 1960’s was a decade that changed American culture in a huge way. Not only did the black community gain large amounts of equality but other minority groups such as Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, the Asian community and although not a minority group Women. There two main types of feminists in the 1960’s; liberal feminists that aimed to address economic issues and radical feminist who focused on female identity. Arguably the main issue for women was the limited opportunities in the workplace for women. In 1960 there were just 23 million employed women meaning that over sixty percent of women were unemployed. Income was also a big issue as the average income for a man in 1961 was $27000 compared to $15000 for women. In addition women accounted for 79% of unpaid work in America. In terms of female identity, radical feminists such as Ti-Grace Atkinson believed that heterosexual relationships were patriarchal and led to women being submissive. Therefore Atkinson advocated celibacy or lesbianism which received success in that it promoted gay rights campaigns in the late sixties. In 1966 the National Organisation for Women (NOW) was formed and aimed to achieve “truly equal partnership with men.” NOW was the biggest feminist group and primary aim was to focus on employment by lobbying Johnson’s government in the mid-sixties. This resulted in a number of victories such as...
Words: 1064 - Pages: 5
...conducted on Native American reservations, specifically their relationship with the criminal justice system. The topics that will be discussed include rape, structural disadvantages and Native American violence, and finally how society views these issues through the context of difference, inequality, and division. Native Americans have been the victims of oppression since Europeans came to North America. Europeans considered themselves to be an advanced civilization, who created social constructions of young America. Europeans introduced the term race to already existing societies in America, by differentiating Native Americans by the color of their skin. Through time, these Native American societies accepted the constructs of race and were referred to as “us” versus “them” to distinguish which race they represented. As Europeans settlers began to expand their civilization over Native American territories, their hierarchical power grew as well. The way Europeans inherited this hierarchical power was due to their technology (e.g. guns, education, medicine, etc.) leaving many Native Americans powerless. The textbook, “Investigation Difference” by Vernon Anthony states, "…use difference as a resource as we have done so ably in the past, or we can use power, coercion, and hate to try to eradicate diversity from our country as many fundamentalist, militant, and radically conservation groups and individuals advocate" ( Anthony, pg. 5). After the European settlers dominated Native American...
Words: 1592 - Pages: 7
...Native Americans, Struggles, Mascots, and Controversy There has been a national debate for years over Native American athletic mascots. “Members of the North Carolina Mascot Education and Action Group and the Guilford Native American Association, however, repeatedly told us that they perceived the use of Indian mascots, logos, caricatures, and similar images by our schools as a clear form of institutional racism” (Grier 2005: 51). In this paper we will discuss the controversial impact of the Native American stereotype used as mascots. In the early 1900’s when the threat of colonization was abolished Americans started to use the Native American mascot to show their acknowledgement of their struggles. Although this was symbolic it has been an ongoing controversy within schools and sports. California is the second highest state that uses the most Native American imagery and symbols. The importance of this contemporary issue is an ongoing debate in California that has impacted the true history of Native Americans and the battles they went through. The truth is crucial because their imagery and interpretation is misunderstood in American history. In the early 1900’s it became acceptable to use Native American imagery for advertisement. “One of the reasons why most Americans find the mascots unremarkable and do not turn a critical eye toward the mascots is because of the prevalence of similar images throughout U.S. popular culture” (King, et al 2002:391). Although years later...
Words: 1493 - Pages: 6
...Report on Race As a descendant of the Native American race, I feel it is necessary to discuss the history of the Native American race with you. The Native American people have had many experiences over the years and many political, social, and cultural issues have been addressed through legislation. I hope this information will assist you in deepening your understanding of your Native American friends and gain additional insights into the state of the Native American people. The Native American people have suffered greatly over the last 200 years, but the situation is improving quickly. The history of what has happened contains both discriminatory legislation as well as new laws that reversed them. For the most part, the Federal Government has been conscientious of the problems faced by the Native Americans and has responded to the needs of the people. Before immigrants from all over the world began to arrive on the land now known as the United States, The Native American people lived in relative peace with each other. We never really knew what hate felt like until the immigrants came. As more and more travelers showed up, they began to take our lands from us and push us further into the wilderness, away from the lands we called home. Over time, the Native American people were soon outnumbered and new laws were beginning to be passed to limit our basic civil rights and our rights to religious freedom. Many believed the Native Americans were going to be in the way of the expansion...
Words: 834 - Pages: 4
...Pg.2 NATIVE AMERICANS and DRUG ABUSE The first evidence showing indigenous people to inhabit North America indicated that they migrated there from Siberia over 11,000 years ago. Native Americans were a very populous group of people, today they only account for 1.4 percent of the United States population. The healing traditions of Native Americans go back for thousands of years as the many indigenous tribes learned that by mixing herbs, roots ,and often natural plants that they could heal various medical problems, although healing practices varied widely from tribe to tribe including various rituals. Native American Indians struggle disproportionately...
Words: 567 - Pages: 3
...Demographics of urban Native Americans Urban Native Americans are the fastest-growing segment of native populations. Due to the lack of economic stability Native Americans are moving away from their traditional reservations in search of employment. Native Americans are faced with many new and unforeseen cultural aspects that they are not accustomed to. Urban Native Americans had to overcome these challenges for the benefits of their families. The US federal government had a doctrine to try to simulate Native Americans into mainstream society. The US federal government tried different approaches such as establishing Bureau of Indian affairs schools, so that they could instill Western-style education that would replace traditional teachings of their cultures. This movement was called “killed Indian save the man”. The next avenue of approach the federal government news was the relocation program that ran from 1948 through 1979. This program was this designed to relocate and train Native Americans in jobs that were located in major metropolitan cities. Federal government thoughts where to give Native Americans new life’s often it lead to Native Americans losing touch with their Native American identities. These cities were Denver, New York, Los Angeles and other major metropolitan areas. Present-day these cities have large urban Native American populations. Their transition to city life was often difficult due to a lack of necessary support (i.e. finding housing, accessing job training...
Words: 1727 - Pages: 7
...Teen suicide in male Native American teens Elizabeth Nather Teen suicide in male Native American teens Community can be interpreted and defined in a variety of ways depending on the group, it’s purpose, size, their interests, makeup, history, and bonds. Some communities have a history together while others form for just a short period of time. Because of these variables, a community can exist for different reasons, and have a unique make up with its own particular standards and goals. While one community may exist to counsel its members short term, another may have existed for many years with the goal of promoting future generations and preserving the history and traditions of their community. Webster defines community as, “a group of people with a common background or with shared interests within a society (Meriam Webster, 2010). The Native American Indians are an identified community. They share a common history and have shared interests within their society. Theirs is a unique culture with rich traditions and beliefs that have been passed on through many generations; a culture very different from many typical US ones. Historically, Native American communities have encouraged interdependence among Indian youth, families, and community connections (Long, et al.,2006). As these communities foster interdependence, many Native American youth are faced with a one sided knowledge of American society. The reservation is all they know so they cannot acclimate to...
Words: 5109 - Pages: 21
...U.S. using Native American Mascots.” All sports teams have mascots to represent their schools pride and strength. Mascots generally don’t fall under exploration, except for the ones that represent Native American tribes. These mascots are usually based on inaccurate descriptions of Native Americans causing controversy on whether or not they should be allowed. Many Native American tribes have been feeling offended, which is why the issue has been arising today with well known sports teams including the Fighting Sioux, The Redskins, The Indians, Etc. This controversy has had a dramatic effect due to the widespread ban of many of the Native American tribal sports...
Words: 772 - Pages: 4
...Grand Avenue Movie Paper Melissa H…. School of Social Work SWK 501 Professor Jones May, 8, 2015 Grand Avenue Movie Paper Family systems are complex and multifaceted due to the various personalities, presenting issues, dynamics, and outside influences. In the field of social work, the family system will be the backbone of effective intervention as it is the primary agent of socialization that our society is built upon. The movie Grand Avenue depicts a multi-generational view of Native American families who are struggling to assimilate into American life while maintaining cultural beliefs and traditions. The families of Molly, Steven, and Anna will be explored looking at the different relationships and the stressors each family is faced with, their strengths, and their goals, that they want to accomplish in life. I will analyze Molly’s family first. Molly has three children; Justine, who is the oldest, Alice and Sheldon who is the youngest. They historically resided on a reservation in New Mexico with her husband Jack. Shortly after Jack passed away, Molly was asked to leave the reservation with her family. Molly returned to her hometown with her cousin Anna, who found Molly an old run down house for the family to rent on Grand Avenue. Grand Avenue is a very rough neighborhood with different races and personalities that in combination with each other result in increased gang activity and violence. It is evident that Molly loves her children, but she does not know...
Words: 2216 - Pages: 9
