Review Questions for Sutton, Chapter 2 (European Invasion and Conquest) and associated lectures
1. Where and when did the Norse establish the first known European settlement in the New World?
2.Briefly summarize the differing motivations behind early Spanish and English colonization. Make comparisons with the French and Dutch. How did these various motivations affect policies towards Native Americans?
3. Briefly characterize the views of the Native peoples held by the Europeans (draw on the handout by Comstock as well as Sutton).
4. What effect did the Proclamation Line of 1763 have?
5. How has the issue of sovereignty figured into U.S. policies? How did policies change over time? What do the terms “internal sovereignty” and “reserved rights” mean?
What is the BIA and what is it supposed to do?
What is the “Right of Preemption” and when was this concept developed?
Why were treaties made with Native American groups by the United States? When did treaty making come to an end and why?
What is manifest destiny?
When did the reservation era begin? What motivations did proponents of reservations have?
When and why did a move to break up reservations occur?
6. What is assimilation? When and why was it favored? What were the provisions of the Dawes Act of 1887? How do some of its provisions reflect the cases of Elk v. Wilkins and Ex parte Crow Dog? What act of Congress resulted from the latter case and what was its effect on tribal governments?
When were all Native Americans in the Unites States granted citizenship? What event provided motivation for the Congress to do this? Why were (are) some Native Americans in opposition to this act?
7. What is the Indian New Deal and how was it implemented through the IRA of 1934? Compare the policies associated with the IRA with those of the Dawes Act.
8. What was the Termination Policy? When did it end?
9. How many reservations are there today? How many acres of land are held in trust for Native Americans?
10. What term is often applied to recognized native groups living in Canada? What is the meaning of Status and Non-Status Indian? What was the purpose of the Indian Act of 1876? Who are the Métis? What was the purpose of the Indian Act of 1951? What is Nunavat?
11. Briefly compare the situation of Mexican Indians with that of native peoples in the U.S. and Canada.
12. What sort of population decline was been experienced by Native Americans as a result of European contact? What are the numbers? What other stresses can be attributed to the effects of contact? [Review the “Sidelight” on European Disease in the New World on page 37 in Sutton.]
13. What were the primary effects of the fur trade?