Book SummaryAn Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States, by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States

Some experts criticize US history books for centering white Americans’ point of view at the expense of native perspectives. Historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz remedies that in her 2014 book An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States, a retelling of US history that prioritizes the experiences of Native Americans. Dunbar-Ortiz is also an activist, professor, and author of other historical works that focus on Native perspectives, including The Great Sioux Nation and Loaded.

In this book, Dunbar-Ortiz weaves together two major arguments: First, she says the US’s success in rising to independence and becoming a global superpower can be traced directly to the genocide it committed against Native Americans. Second, she says the tradition of indigenous resistance holds the key to a more peaceful future. In our guide, we’ll discuss how each of these patterns (genocide and...

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States Summary Before Colonization

Dunbar-Ortiz writes that many people believe indigenous Americans were inferior to the Europeans who colonized them and don’t understand the processes that led to colonization. In this section, we’ll give an overview of life in the Americas prior to colonization and discuss the sophistication of indigenous American societies. Then, we’ll discuss some of the historical processes that led Europeans to colonize the Americas.

Life in Precolonial America

According to popular historical myths, Native Americans were primitive and nomadic prior to colonization, but Dunbar-Ortiz says the evidence suggests the opposite. She says early native peoples, like the Maya and Aztec, built numerous societies in Mesoamerica (a region containing the southernmost parts of North America and most of Central America). From there, migrants eventually populated the entire northern continent, with about 100 million people forming stable indigenous nations by the late 1400s. These cultures were as sophisticated as any other—they built cities with grand architecture, studied science and religion, and established complex governments based on communal decision-making, economies, and trade...

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States Summary The Colonial Period

Now that you know what led to the colonization of the Americas, let’s discuss the colonial period that preceded the founding of the United States. Dunbar-Ortiz says that according to popular historical myths, the US colonial period began when a group of settlers believed God ordained them to take over American lands. She contests this myth, arguing that while religion was certainly one motivating factor, colonizers relied on genocidal war tactics—not just God’s providence—to wrestle American lands away from their indigenous stewards. In this section, we’ll discuss the role those war tactics played in the founding of the first American colonies. Then, we’ll discuss how Native Americans resisted colonization.

Genocidal Warfare in the American Colonies

Many settlers of the first American colonies were Scots-Irish—descendants of Scottish Calvinists who colonized northern Ireland, using violent war tactics like scalping (which we’ll discuss in greater detail later) to force the Irish into submission. (Shortform note: The Scottish Calvinists’ colonization of Ireland in the early 1600s ignited centuries of conflict between indigenous Irish Catholics and English, Scottish, and...

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States Summary The Westward Expansion of the United States

Dunbar-Ortiz explains that when the British withdrew from the Americas to focus on colonial exploits in Asia, the colonists won the war for American independence, formally established the United States, and continued the pattern of genocidal violence against Native Americans. In this section, we’ll discuss how the US perpetrated violence against Native Americans as it expanded westward over the course of its first 100 years. Then, we’ll explore how indigenous Americans resisted this treatment.

US Violence Against Native Americans During Westward Expansion

Dunbar-Ortiz says that after the US became an independent nation, it was an immediate priority to expand westward beyond the Appalachian Mountains. (Shortform note: The Appalachian Mountains span nearly 2,000 miles from Alabama in the southern US to Newfoundland and Labrador in northeastern Canada. They served as a natural barrier to westward expansion because they were difficult to traverse; prior to westward expansion, settlers were confined to the east coast region bordering the Atlantic Ocean.)

Dunbar-Ortiz explains that **for the purposes of westward...

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States Summary The Civil War Years and Industrialization

Dunbar-Ortiz explains that when the US annexed Mexico, which didn’t allow slavery, it sparked a debate over slavery that would culminate in a civil war. During the Civil War years and the period of greater industrialization that ensued, US violence against Native American peoples continued. In this section, we’ll discuss some of the federal policies that led to this violence as well as Native American resistance efforts.

(Shortform note: The American Civil War began in 1861 when several southern states seceded from the Union (the US) to form their own government, the Confederate States of America. The Confederate states seceded because the US government challenged their right to legalized slavery, upon which the southern states’ economies depended. The US won the war in 1865, reincorporated the Confederate states into the US, and federally abolished slavery. In the aftermath of the war, Southern states ratified Jim Crow laws to reinforce...

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States Summary The 20th Century and Beyond

Dunbar-Ortiz explains that by the early 20th century, Native American populations had been effectively suppressed in terms of both number and power. In this section, we’ll explain how the US continued to enact policies that aimed to assimilate Native Americans and thus erase their cultures over the first half of the century. Then, we’ll discuss how Native Americans mobilized during the Civil Rights movement to demand better treatment. Finally, we’ll explore some of the ramifications of these developments in the 21st century and beyond.

Genocidal US Policies During the Early 1900s

Dunbar-Ortiz explains that as industrialization ushered in the 20th century, the US began to apply the tactics it had used to suppress Native Americans against other indigenous peoples in places like Hawaii, Alaska, and the Philippines. This process, known as imperialism, helped the US achieve its position as a global superpower by concentrating wealth, power, and control of lands and natural resources in the hands of US institutions. The US also used these resources to increase its military power—for example, the military tested nuclear weapons in Pacific territories it controlled as well...

Shortform Exercise: Reflect on Indigenous History

Reflect on how this guide has influenced your understanding of US history.

Think back to history lessons you’ve had in the past. Broadly, how were indigenous peoples’ experiences throughout US history depicted in those lessons?