Legislating Indian country

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This book traces the history of injustices faced by American Indians from the 16th century to the present, identifying five distinct epochs of U.S. Indian policy. The first section examines how Native Americans were defined as a sub-species, justifying their harsh treatment and removal from valuable lands. The second section addresses the destruction of tribalism through Indian wars, military-run concentration camps for uncooperative tribes, and the opening of Indian territories to non-Indian settlers. Subsequent sections highlight a shift from physical to cultural genocide: the third section discusses legislation that led to federally-controlled tribal administration, while the fourth examines the 1950s attempt to dissolve tribes, forcing them into capitalist corporations with members as stockholders. The final section seeks a middle ground between strict federal oversight and the harsh policies of termination and relocation. Although overt genocide has ended, a more subtle exploitation persists today, as seen in controversies over the mismanagement of the Individual Indian Trust Fund and the exploitation of gaming tribes by lobbyists and politicians. By shedding light on this legislative trend, the book points to new directions for the future of tribalism.