ABSTRACT
Oen referred to as a “melting pot,” the United States is considered a diverse, heterogeneous society rich in cultural traditions. e indigenous population of Native Americans, or American Indians and Alaskan Natives, rst inhabited the US mainland at least 12,000 years ago. Many native tribes originally lived nomadic lifestyles as hunters and gatherers. Following European arrival and colonization, millions of Native Americans perished due to disease. However, initially, Native American tribes were considered sovereign nations, and later, semisovereign states, which fell under the auspice of the military arm of the government (Wells and Falcone 2008). is was followed by a period of displacement, conscation of land, marginalization, alienation, and oppression by the colonizing government, which continues to impact native life in the United States today.
