Was the destruction and decimation of the American Indians (Native Americans) genocide?
“Genocide” is the established narrative of the story, any departure from which is taken to be proof of racist thought. That history has several secrets, though. “Americans” had nothing to do with the first 250 years of conflict. because the nation didn’t exist. What followed was war, treaties, broken treaties, more war and finally reservations in lieu of integration and assimilation. Exterminatory policy was used by Spain at first until the Catholic Church prevailed, and economic incentives took hold. The French and British manipulated, mislead, and otherwise mistreated unto death when necessary all natives in the new continent, just as they continued to do in their imperial endeavors elsewhere, joined by Dutch, German, and Belgium adventures. Tocqueville, Democracy in America, observed the chief difference between black American slaves and red Indians to be their assessment of European civilization. For blacks, it was the “school of slavery,” the means by which to become free masters
