Abstract

Native Americans have faced many hardships at the hands of the U.S. government. Over the course of nearly two centuries, they have been discriminated on account of their race and practices and have seen their culture nearly destroyed. By analyzing the policies and actions directed towards Native Americans by Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore Roosevelt, I explore their contributions towards the destruction of Native American culture and their impact on the injustices Native Americans face in the twenty-first century. I wish to answer the question of whom are two of the most influential presidents that have contributed to this cultural extermination, which I suggest are Grant and Roosevelt. While their policies differed, Native Americans were discriminated against in similar ways under both administrations and are fighting similar battles today. I used a variety of primary sources, but the most influential ones were from nineteenth century local newspapers and firsthand Native American accounts. This helped make up for the lack of secondary scholarship focusing on the effects felt by Native Americans. Much of the secondary scholarship is written from an American perspective and this allowed me to explore Grant and Roosevelt’s personal views and how they shaped their respective policies.

Advisor

Sene, Ibra

Department

History

Disciplines

United States History

Publication Date

2022

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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