Displacing Indigenous peoples Class 11 History

 Page 1


                                                                                           
I Theme 10 Displacing Indigenous Peoples
The theme tells the story of what European settlers did to the native peoples 
of America and Australia. The natives and the Europeans represented 
competing notions of civilization. 
Sources
? Oral History of natives 
? Historical and fiction works written by natives 
? Galleries and Museums of native art
European Imperialism
? Spain and Portugal did not expand their empire after the 17
th
century. 
? France, Holland and England extended their trading activities and 
established colonies in America, Africa and Asia. Ireland was also 
a colony of England.
? Prospects of profit drove people to establish colonies. 
? Nature of the control on colony varied. 
? Trading companies became political power in South Asia.
? They defeated local rulers and retained administrative system.
? They also collected taxes and built railways to make trade easier. 
They excavated mines and established big plantations. 
? Africa was divided as colonies among Europeans.
North America:
The Native Peoples
? The native peoples might have come from Asia through a land 
bridge across the Bering Straits, 30,000 before. 
? They were lived in groups along river valleys. They ate fish and 
meat and cultivated vegetable and maize. 
? They did not develop kingdoms or empires. They did not feel any 
need to own land. 
? They formed alliances for their own reasons. Goods were obtained 
not by buying them, but as gifts. 
? Numerous languages were spoken but these were not written 
down. 
? They were skilled craftspeople and made beautiful textiles. 
? They could understand climate and different landscapes. 
? The native peoples were friendly and welcoming to Europeans. 
? They arranged frequent gatherings to exchange goods.
? They exchanged local products in return for blankets, iron vessels, 
guns and alcohol with the Europeans.
? Natives addicted to alcohol and tobacco and so Europeans dictated 
the terms of trade.
Comparative study between American natives and Europeans
Natives Europeans
To Europeans natives were 
‘uncivilized’-the noble Savage
Civilized in terms of literacy, religion 
and urbanism
To natives, the goods they 
exchanged with Europeans were 
gift
To Europeans ,gift were commodities 
which they would sell for a profit
Natives were not aware of 
market.
the Europeans sold goods in  
European market for profit
Natives were not happy with the 
greed of the Europeans
Slaughtered hundreds of beavers for 
furs
Natives were afraid that the 
animals would take revenge for 
this destruction
They killed wild animals to protect 
farms
Natives identified tracks 
invisible to the Europeans
Europeans imagined the forests to be 
converted into cornfields
Page 2


                                                                                           
I Theme 10 Displacing Indigenous Peoples
The theme tells the story of what European settlers did to the native peoples 
of America and Australia. The natives and the Europeans represented 
competing notions of civilization. 
Sources
? Oral History of natives 
? Historical and fiction works written by natives 
? Galleries and Museums of native art
European Imperialism
? Spain and Portugal did not expand their empire after the 17
th
century. 
? France, Holland and England extended their trading activities and 
established colonies in America, Africa and Asia. Ireland was also 
a colony of England.
? Prospects of profit drove people to establish colonies. 
? Nature of the control on colony varied. 
? Trading companies became political power in South Asia.
? They defeated local rulers and retained administrative system.
? They also collected taxes and built railways to make trade easier. 
They excavated mines and established big plantations. 
? Africa was divided as colonies among Europeans.
North America:
The Native Peoples
? The native peoples might have come from Asia through a land 
bridge across the Bering Straits, 30,000 before. 
? They were lived in groups along river valleys. They ate fish and 
meat and cultivated vegetable and maize. 
? They did not develop kingdoms or empires. They did not feel any 
need to own land. 
? They formed alliances for their own reasons. Goods were obtained 
not by buying them, but as gifts. 
? Numerous languages were spoken but these were not written 
down. 
? They were skilled craftspeople and made beautiful textiles. 
? They could understand climate and different landscapes. 
? The native peoples were friendly and welcoming to Europeans. 
? They arranged frequent gatherings to exchange goods.
? They exchanged local products in return for blankets, iron vessels, 
guns and alcohol with the Europeans.
? Natives addicted to alcohol and tobacco and so Europeans dictated 
the terms of trade.
Comparative study between American natives and Europeans
Natives Europeans
To Europeans natives were 
‘uncivilized’-the noble Savage
Civilized in terms of literacy, religion 
and urbanism
To natives, the goods they 
exchanged with Europeans were 
gift
To Europeans ,gift were commodities 
which they would sell for a profit
Natives were not aware of 
market.
the Europeans sold goods in  
European market for profit
Natives were not happy with the 
greed of the Europeans
Slaughtered hundreds of beavers for 
furs
Natives were afraid that the 
animals would take revenge for 
this destruction
They killed wild animals to protect 
farms
Natives identified tracks 
invisible to the Europeans
Europeans imagined the forests to be 
converted into cornfields
                                                                                           
Expansion of USA
? Large areas were acquired by purchase of Louisiana (1803) from 
France and Alaska (1867) from Russia. By war –much of southern 
USA was won from Mexico
Slavery
? The northern states of the USA argued for ending slavery since 
they condemned it as an inhuman practice. 
? The plantation owners of Southern states bought slaves in Africa to 
bring USA.
? Protests by anti-slavery groups led to a ban on slave trade. But the 
Africans who were in the USA remained slaves as did their 
children. 
? In 1861-65, a civil war broke out in which the northern states won 
to abolish slavery. 
? It was only in the 20
th
century that the African Americans won the 
battle of civil liberties.
Native peoples of North America lose their land
? In the USA, the natives were forced to move by signing treaties or 
selling their lands. 
? They were cheated by taking more land or paying less. 
? The natives were deprived of their land. 
? For example, Cherokee tribe in Georgia was governed by state 
laws but could not enjoy the rights of citizens. 
? The Judgment by the US Chief Justice, John Marshall said that the 
Cherokees were a distinct community, occupying its own territory 
in which law of Georgia had no force.
? Us President Andrew Jackson refused to accept the Chief Justice’s 
judgement.He ordered the US army to evict the Cherokees from 
their land. 
                                                                                                       2
? They were driven out to the Great American Desert. About 15,000 
people were forced to move and over a quarter died along the 
‘Trail of Tears’. 
? Those who occupied the lands of the tribes called the natives as 
lazy, not skilled, not learning English or dressing properly. They 
deserved to ‘die out’. 
? They were concentrated into small areas called ‘reservations’. 
There were a series of rebellions from1865 to 1890.The US army 
crushed all these revolts.
The Gold Rush and the Growth of Industries
? Traces of gold led to ‘Gold Rush’ in 1840s in California. 
? A lot of Europeans hurried to America in the hope of making a 
quick fortune.
? The Gold Rush led to the building of railway lines across the 
continent. 
? In North America industries developed to manufacture railway 
equipment.
? In order to make large scale farming machinery produced. 
? Industrial development led to the growth of towns and factories.
? By 1890 the USA emerged as a leading industrial power in the
world.
Constitutional Rights in North America
? The constitution of America included the individual’s right to 
property’ and right to vote. But these democratic rights were only 
for white men.
The Winds of Change…
? The problem of Indian Administration is a report of a survey
guided by Lewis Meriam published in 1928.This report described 
the poor health and education facilities for natives in reservations.
Page 3


                                                                                           
I Theme 10 Displacing Indigenous Peoples
The theme tells the story of what European settlers did to the native peoples 
of America and Australia. The natives and the Europeans represented 
competing notions of civilization. 
Sources
? Oral History of natives 
? Historical and fiction works written by natives 
? Galleries and Museums of native art
European Imperialism
? Spain and Portugal did not expand their empire after the 17
th
century. 
? France, Holland and England extended their trading activities and 
established colonies in America, Africa and Asia. Ireland was also 
a colony of England.
? Prospects of profit drove people to establish colonies. 
? Nature of the control on colony varied. 
? Trading companies became political power in South Asia.
? They defeated local rulers and retained administrative system.
? They also collected taxes and built railways to make trade easier. 
They excavated mines and established big plantations. 
? Africa was divided as colonies among Europeans.
North America:
The Native Peoples
? The native peoples might have come from Asia through a land 
bridge across the Bering Straits, 30,000 before. 
? They were lived in groups along river valleys. They ate fish and 
meat and cultivated vegetable and maize. 
? They did not develop kingdoms or empires. They did not feel any 
need to own land. 
? They formed alliances for their own reasons. Goods were obtained 
not by buying them, but as gifts. 
? Numerous languages were spoken but these were not written 
down. 
? They were skilled craftspeople and made beautiful textiles. 
? They could understand climate and different landscapes. 
? The native peoples were friendly and welcoming to Europeans. 
? They arranged frequent gatherings to exchange goods.
? They exchanged local products in return for blankets, iron vessels, 
guns and alcohol with the Europeans.
? Natives addicted to alcohol and tobacco and so Europeans dictated 
the terms of trade.
Comparative study between American natives and Europeans
Natives Europeans
To Europeans natives were 
‘uncivilized’-the noble Savage
Civilized in terms of literacy, religion 
and urbanism
To natives, the goods they 
exchanged with Europeans were 
gift
To Europeans ,gift were commodities 
which they would sell for a profit
Natives were not aware of 
market.
the Europeans sold goods in  
European market for profit
Natives were not happy with the 
greed of the Europeans
Slaughtered hundreds of beavers for 
furs
Natives were afraid that the 
animals would take revenge for 
this destruction
They killed wild animals to protect 
farms
Natives identified tracks 
invisible to the Europeans
Europeans imagined the forests to be 
converted into cornfields
                                                                                           
Expansion of USA
? Large areas were acquired by purchase of Louisiana (1803) from 
France and Alaska (1867) from Russia. By war –much of southern 
USA was won from Mexico
Slavery
? The northern states of the USA argued for ending slavery since 
they condemned it as an inhuman practice. 
? The plantation owners of Southern states bought slaves in Africa to 
bring USA.
? Protests by anti-slavery groups led to a ban on slave trade. But the 
Africans who were in the USA remained slaves as did their 
children. 
? In 1861-65, a civil war broke out in which the northern states won 
to abolish slavery. 
? It was only in the 20
th
century that the African Americans won the 
battle of civil liberties.
Native peoples of North America lose their land
? In the USA, the natives were forced to move by signing treaties or 
selling their lands. 
? They were cheated by taking more land or paying less. 
? The natives were deprived of their land. 
? For example, Cherokee tribe in Georgia was governed by state 
laws but could not enjoy the rights of citizens. 
? The Judgment by the US Chief Justice, John Marshall said that the 
Cherokees were a distinct community, occupying its own territory 
in which law of Georgia had no force.
? Us President Andrew Jackson refused to accept the Chief Justice’s 
judgement.He ordered the US army to evict the Cherokees from 
their land. 
                                                                                                       2
? They were driven out to the Great American Desert. About 15,000 
people were forced to move and over a quarter died along the 
‘Trail of Tears’. 
? Those who occupied the lands of the tribes called the natives as 
lazy, not skilled, not learning English or dressing properly. They 
deserved to ‘die out’. 
? They were concentrated into small areas called ‘reservations’. 
There were a series of rebellions from1865 to 1890.The US army 
crushed all these revolts.
The Gold Rush and the Growth of Industries
? Traces of gold led to ‘Gold Rush’ in 1840s in California. 
? A lot of Europeans hurried to America in the hope of making a 
quick fortune.
? The Gold Rush led to the building of railway lines across the 
continent. 
? In North America industries developed to manufacture railway 
equipment.
? In order to make large scale farming machinery produced. 
? Industrial development led to the growth of towns and factories.
? By 1890 the USA emerged as a leading industrial power in the
world.
Constitutional Rights in North America
? The constitution of America included the individual’s right to 
property’ and right to vote. But these democratic rights were only 
for white men.
The Winds of Change…
? The problem of Indian Administration is a report of a survey
guided by Lewis Meriam published in 1928.This report described 
the poor health and education facilities for natives in reservations.
                                                                                           
? The Great Economic Depression began shortly after this report 
affected all people of America. 
? It was in this atmosphere that the Indian Reorganization Act was 
passed in 1934.The Act gave the natives in reservations the right to 
buy land and take loans.
? In the 1950s and 1960s, the US and Canadian governments ended 
all special provisions for the natives. 
? By the Declaration of Indian Rights of 1954, a number of native 
peoples accepted citizenship of the USA but on certain conditions. 
They did not want to take away their reservations. 
? The Constitution Act (1982) accepted the aboriginal and treaty 
rights of the natives.
Australia
? The native peoples came from New Guinea 40,000years before. 
? Torres Strait Islanders were a group of indigenous people living in 
the north of the continent.
? The early settlers were convicts deported from England on 
condition not to return again. 
? They ejected natives from land and took over for cultivation 
without remorse. 
? Natives were employed in farms. Later; Chinese immigrants 
provided cheap labour.
? But Australian government followed a non-white policy to keep 
away people from South Asia or Southeast Asia. 
? The Winds of Change
? In 1968, anthropologist W.E.H.Stanner delivered a lecture ‘The 
Great Australian Silence’-the silence of historians about the origin
about the aborigines.
? There was an attempt to study natives as communities with distinct 
cultures. 
? Henry Reynolds, in his Why Weren’t We Told, condemned the 
practice of writing Australian history as it had begun with Captain 
Cook’s discovery.
                                                                                                        3
? By 1974,’multiculturalism’was adopted as an official policy in 
Australia which gave equal respect to native and all cultures. 
? Australia had not made treaties with natives when their land was 
taken up by Europeans.
? The government termed the land of Australia as terra nullius 
meaning belonging to nobody. Children of mixed blood (native 
European) were forcibly captured and separated from their native 
relatives.
? Agitation against these issues led to two important decisions.
1. The natives had strong historic bonds with the land and this should 
be respected.
2. ‘A National Sorry Day’ as apology for the children lost from the 
1820s to the 1970s.