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Article: Why the U.S. made treaties with Indians.(SPORTS)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- March 30, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Why the United States, in its infancy, elected to deal with Indian tribes by treaty is often misunderstood.
In part, the federal government did so because it recognized various tribes as nations unto themselves - so-called sovereign nations. But treaties also were used because the young nation lacked the military and financial muscle to overpower the many Indians that inhabited what would become, over time, U.S. lands.
Thus, purchasing Indian lands by treaty, rather than taking them outright by overrunning the many Indians that inhabited the land, in many instances seemed the best option.
Ronald N. Satz, in his book "Chippewa Treaty Rights," ...