Did America steal its land from the Native Americans?

[CT_CD]

Yes

No

I don't know

Updates

+1 y

MHO?

[LegateLanius]

Since we are dealing with a conflict between Europeans and the Native Americans, we need to turn to the Law of Nations or International Law for the solution. The following are some basic maxims of the International Law:
FIRST: That every nation possesses an exclusive sovereignty and jurisdiction in its own territory.
SECOND: That no state or nation can by its law directly affect or bind property that lies outside of its own territory, or persons not resident therein.
THIRD: That whatever force the laws of one country have in another depends solely on the municipal laws of the latter.
The first principle listed here would seem to suggest that all of America was the possession of the various Native American tribes prior to the colonization by the Europeans. However, they never laid claim to all of the "territory" of America because they had no understanding of its size and boundaries. They only claimed the land they were inhabiting and that which he used for hunting, burial, etc. At the time of discovery ~(circa 1600 A. D.), the American Indian numbered about 700,000 inhabitants, sparsely scattered over what is now America considering the diseases and such that the explorers brought over and had wiped out 90 percent of all tribes. Thus the Indians never had a legal claim to much more than 3% of the land at any one time. So it can be said that the Indians did have a legal claim to America, 3% of it, which was considered their "own territory."
In light of this, it cannot be said that the Europeans violated the second principle of International Law either, since 97% of America was not legally the "property" of anyone. When America was claimed by the English, French, and Spanish, they claimed the entire breadth and width of the land, from sea to sea, from one boundary to the next. However, the lands that the Indians occupied within these European claims were still Indian land.
It must also be addressed as to whether they encroached upon and took possession of lands that were legally claimed by the Indian. The third maxim of International Law says we have to look at the Indian's law, and that whatever measures or acts the European took in regards to Indian land must be pursuant to Indian law.

[LegateLanius]

The third maxim of International Law says we have to look at the Indian's law, and that whatever measures or acts the white man took in regards to Indian land must be pursuant to Indian law. The following are some of the laws that were generally held by the Indians:
1. It was a law common among Indians that the stronger of two tribes or people (nations) has the right to conquer and subdue the weaker.
2. Under Indian common law it was understood that land claims existed by inhabiting the land and by any use of the land.
3. When any land was unoccupied or not used for one year, the land was free for anyone to claim and settle.
This first law of the Indian could actually render all other arguments of land rights academic. This law was almost a way of life with the Indian, which is why they were always warring among themselves.

[LegateLanius]

This first law of the Indian could actually render all other arguments of land rights academic. This law was almost a way of life with the Indian, which is why they were always warring among themselves. The wars and conflicts between the European and the Indian race throughout history were numerous, and the fact that the white race was the stronger cannot be doubted.
According to the third Indian law listed, the European, or any man or nation, had the right to possess the vast lands that were uninhabited or unclaimed by the Indian in America. Since the Indians never claimed the American continent from Atlantic to Pacific, the lands claimed by right of discovery are valid. Thus, the only legal conflict that can exist lies with the 3% of land the Indian had a legal claim to in America, in accordance to the second Indian law listed.

[LegateLanius]

Now, if we are talking later, the American government behaved absolutely disgusting. The treaties with the Natives were never honored and the worst one in my opinion was Andrew Johnson and the Trail of Tears.

[LegateLanius]

Me please
#MoeHowardsOpus

[disgustingweebtrash]

Yeah but we should see to it stuff like that doesn't happen again, such as Europeans losing Europe or Asians losing Asia.

[DeeDeeDeVour]

To be more specific, did the pale-skinned migrants who were originally foreigners steal land from the native tribes? Yes!

[DeeDeeDeVour]

@CT_CD: Thanks for the MHO pick. :)

[DizzyDesii]

Ask christopher colombus

[DizzyDesii]

Meeeeee

[DizzyDesii]

Pleeeeease

[DizzyDesii]

Thankkkssss

[Gianna17]

Yeah, it's pretty common knowledge and not something even the most patriotic Americans should necessarily be proud of. At the same time I think it was a much slower process then people made it out to be, I mean, we got here in 1492 and while we did take their land it was gradual and was done at first, by gaining information on how to grow crops from one tribe, in return for helping kill off their enemy tribes because we had guns. And i think over the course of about 300 more years through individual land desputes and the mass killings of buffalo which was their main source of food they were forced off their land. It wasn't until America became independent that they were all "officially" kicked off the land because after the French and Indian war the British created a boundary where colonists could not cross to make peace with the natives, after the British lost control of America they could no longer enforce this and the people of America felt like expansion was a god-given right. Nonetheless it was very sad and the struggles of the natives shouldn't be invalidated.

[Markasaurous]

Keep in mind the Indians weren't a collective they were many tribes over many lands. So even they weren't connected and they fought amongst themselves all the time. They tourtured and scalped one another. Spain also took land and killed if the Aztecs and Incas, and the southern part of what is now CA, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, etc.

We got the land took by Spain in 1849 so if anything we got that land from Spain and we got the Louisiana Purchase from France. So in reality we took the colonies and a few other places, bought the Louisiana Purchase, and won a large piece of the former Mexican territories.

[Sleep_is_the_answer]

America did nothing. The men known as Freemasons however.. They slaughtered innocent men women and children to place themselves in the position of power. That same position that caused them to flee Europe "or so we are told". Whatever happened was awful and I am ashamed to be a part of the result. We are supposed to love and care about our fellow man! Not take what we want! Imagine if the government came to your town, raped and killed everyone you knew, and then took over the town but they gave you an acre of land. And they probably could just like they did then. See why I am ashamed? Sorry for the rant.

[Anonymous]

Yes. We cheated, lied, murderd, intentionally spread disease, robbed, subjugated, enslaved, decimated, starved, destroyed their food sources and killed men women and children in the hundreds of thousands. All because of the idea that white Christian people are superior to all others. It is discraseful what happened and how it was done. This country was founded in the blood and tears of those people.
What makes it worse is the attitude of current Americans who use any feeble excuse to justify the devastation, as you see with many answers even here. From ‘Gods plan’ to ‘might makes right’. Anything to ignore the fact that it was brutality and greed that America was founded on, not noble idealism. Which just shows just how pathetic many people are.

[Anonymous]

The Americans stole the land from the Native Americans, just as the Native Americans stole the land from those before them. We have this myth, that white men were the only ones stealing land and killing Native Americans. Native Americans were continually stealing land from one another, and continually killing one another. The white men were just more numerous and more efficient at it. In a sense, it's racist to say how bad the white men were, when Native Americans did the same thing to other NA and white people, when they could.

[CowboyAceTre]

The Natives came from the Asian continent, not the North American continent. They were here before most Europeans. The Irish/Scottish took the Emerald Isles from the Picts. Should we be returning it? The Caucasians took land from the Natives of Europe. If you don't know your history, that would be the Celtic, and Germanic tribes. Should we be giving that land back, and returning to the Indus, and African places we came from? Asians, Russians, etc... Where do we stop? Do we all go back to Africa, and give all the land back to the earth? Yes, wrong was done, but it's not the first, worst, and not the last. The argument is riddled with holes.

[TheFlak38]

First off, plenty of archeological findings indicate that Europeans were living there thousands of years ago. Why they dissapeared and the Amerids remained has not been discovered for sure yet.

Second off, what does "steal your land" mean? Does a legitimate conquest of a land, one that wasn't going anywhere for four thousand years, a thief? Were the Native Americans thieves as well when they were killing each other in their tribal wars?

And for those who say "Go back to Europe", there are thousands of Americans who would love to go back to Europe because it is a beautiful place to live. But they can't do that. Why? Because they are White. That simple. Europe only imports Afro-Arabs with no passports and no education. Racial laws for the right of citizenship if you can prove European ancestry have been banned in Europe.

[vishna]

Yes, absolutely. And we gave them blankets with diseases on it too (I still can't get over that) some of our ancestors, raped, manipulated, intimidated, and outright murdered innocent men, women, and children.

[mr_mxy]

They werent sure how small pox were spread at that point so the blankets werent deliberate. Also some natives did fucked up things back than. With that said terrible acts were commited. However the sins of the past should not be pushed on the people of today.

[vishna]

@mr_mxy Of course not every Native person was an angel. And nowhere did I say, nor would I ever say sins of the father should be put on the son.

About the blankets, people didn't know what a microbe was, they knew to stay away from a sick person's belongings. I think it probably did happen and other nasty things too.

[Markasaurous]

You focus on the micro not the macro. Most settlers didn't do that at all. Indians also scalped each other and tortured each other. Don't think they were so innocent. They also killed settlers too. Go ahead and justify that.

Not intentional epidemic also brought on by the Spanish flu not the British.

[mr_mxy]

@Markasaurous well she already mentioned that she wasn't demonizing all settlers.

[mr_mxy]

The only reason i mentioned sins of the father is because that is an argument some people make

[vishna]

@Markasaurous The US government turned a blind eye to a lot of things that went on, and at the end of the day they condoned the rape and murder of native people along the trail of tears and the outright stealing of land and allocation to reservations. Sure, not every settler was mean to settlers, but at the end of the day the US government sure was.

Nowhere did I say Native people were these angelic chill people who never did any wrong. They were a complex people who had their own wars and ideas.

Yea, the diseases brought over by outsiders wrecked havoc on their numbers. But not everyone died, as time wore on and people got closer to each other, those who remained had a tough time with the new comers and now look what the Native Americans have, fighting companies who want to do things that could harm the land they were 'given'. It's messed up any way you look at it, but if you think something differently ok, that's you.

[vishna]

Just don't read too into what I say if I didn't actually say it... ya know. Because all these things being brought up are things I don't agree (and never said) with but am having to waste time saying "I don't agree with this"

[Markasaurous]

I agree the US gov had bad moments but you seem to focus so much on the bad and not address both sides

[jacquesvol]

@mr_mxy Even the old Romans knew how diseases spread.

[CarpetDenim]

America did “steal” its land, but Native Americans aren’t getting it back now, nor should they.

[psychoticallyawkward]

Absolutely! There’s good things about the United States, but much of its history is despicable and shameful.

[Deydey12345]

Nope. Because the natives stole it from the animals. The earth does not belong to humans only. The natives stole it therefore it was never "theirs" and therefore America never stole THEM anything.

[Sucram]

The natives never claimed it was theirs and never took it. They just lived in the land.

[jacquesvol]

Thus Mexicans can move northwards and do the same.

[Markasaurous]

Why would animals have higher standing than humans.

[jacquesvol]

@Sucram there was no U. N. then: where could they lay their claim?

[Anonymous]

It did belong to them.
Our ancestors took it from them.
It happens everywhere.
Our ancestors aren’t anything special when it came to claiming land.
People have done it since the dawn of time and will continue to do so.

[BigDaddy75]

Yes ! look Im not Native American but if people say im American yes but NOPE unless your of Native American blood line they are the only true 100% American's most of us have blood line from other countries

[madhatters4]

yes. we did. the fact that 41% (atm) could say no is baffling

[NYCQuestions1976]

Lack of immunity to European diseases is what really did in the Native Americans. Thousands died from illnesses from interaction with Europeans moving westward.

[Hungry_Shark]

It doesn't matter.
Its natural phenomenon.

The more powerful replaces the weak.

Just like the colonial rule all over the world.
"Might is right"

[taleswapper]

No. In point of fact, the natives had no real concept of "owning" land per se. So basically, the land was unclaimed. Doesn't mean the Europeans didn't take advantage; just that the crime wasn't theft.

[MeatPuppet]

Yes, they did. America is a country build on exploitation, colonialism and imperialism. The blood of the countless Native Americans ruthlessly murdered simply for standing in the way of the colonists is on the American Flag.

[FinalVow]

course we did which is why I find the notion of "illegal immigration" ironic

[Markasaurous]

Why? The Natives were several different tribes with no form of government to claim it as a country. Many tribes were nomadic meaning they didn't claim any territory others fought tribes for land. They tortured and scalped each other.

The US is a country under a government. The Natives were tribes with no rules on immigration too. Also, there was an exchange of goods with the Indians and the Settlers. It wasn't forceful, we gave them the horse and other domesticated animals. They gave the British corn, potatoes, etc. a very far fetched attempt bro

[FinalVow]

@Markasaurous yeah and after we pushed them off there land and they asked for it back we gave them diseases and killed them and took more land and pushed them all the way to the deserts in the west. That is so much better. least they took care of nature instead of destroying it. stop while you behind "bro"

[StickStickity13]

Natives did it to each other, then when a superior culture comes in and dominates them, they act like they were peaceful people. Natives were terrible to each other.

[Storm_Soldier2377]

Yes the Europeans came and stole native American land, but so did the natives steal it among themselves. All of us are living on land that was stolen at one point.

[Stan_Control_]

No. The UK did.
Then they had sons and daughters there and raised them with the conviction that the land they're living on belongs to them and them alone.

[Patrickjv]

No. It was unfortunate for the Native Americans but not theft.

[Alessus]

That depends if you consider conquest to be the same as theft.

[danpossibly]

yes obviously, europeans all over the Americas purged/slaughtered, segregated and forcibly evicted near all native populations

[dandee55]

Not steal -- or even conquer, like most countries did in the past. They obtained land by gradual control.

[Anonymous]

Some yes but most was taken by the spainish, British, Dutch, russians and French. If America was stolen by the whites then Mexico was stolen by the Mexicans who should go back to Spain.

[SketchForger]

Yup. We don't even let them drink alcohol on their reserves... Isn't that great?

[Markasaurous]

There is a huge alcoholic problem with the natives. I am not sure about them not drinking but they have huge issues with the drink

[SketchForger]

@Markasaurous they use mouthwash. And I'd be an alcoholic too if I had figuratively nowhere to go.

[Markasaurous]

It is a genetic thing too man.

[SketchForger]

@Markasaurous Yeah... They've been around a while in the same preserve, and it's not getting any bigger.

[AlphaStyles]

I would say yes but hey it survival of the fittess

Fight for your land so did other nations too

[Ronin82]

They never deserved to keep the land. To the victors go the spoils

[eatadic]

No. There was no nation here. No set up laws protecting borders.

[Nandor]

Europens stole the land*

[AM-205]

I seriously think we did!! (Some parts of America)

[2opaz]

You never owned what you can't defend

[Clarke498]

There's no question. That's how USA was founded.

[thisisbreana123]

Yeah

[cupidkisses]

Yeah

[Anonymous]

So what?
God had a special mission for the USA

[intelliGENT1]

yes america is a fraud

[BackAgain]

Most definitely

[kaskas19]

Yep.

[N23SA]

Yess

[AbdKilani]

Dah, it is obvious

[Tohhhru]

America

[GayHowellMeme]

Not really

[Revolver_]

Yess

[BronzedAdonis]

nah..

[ThePundertaker]

Yep. No regrets

[Slim57]

Absolutely

[Anonymous]

I don’t know