• banneryear1868@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Native American oral history portrays some initial contact and treaties as mutually amicable, the Treaty of Niagara for example, and there’s a common sentiment that returning to original treaties could be a good thing. Also common knowledge now but they weren’t just a group of people but many nations. The “wise native” trope and the notion they were like peaceful hippies who lived easy lives with nature are arguably positive racist stereotypes.

    The westward expansion and “free real estate” project of settlement is where things turned, and the new capitalist economic order taking hold. It wasn’t all a violent takeover either, there were very mundane layers of land leasing and real estate issues happening as well.