Quote Originally Posted by Kerr the Walker View Post
I get a kick out of the term "Native American." I mean, if you were born between 35* W and 170* W, regardless of when, then you're native to the Americas right?

To me the label "First Nations" makes more sense. Doesn't make it sound so much like there was one vast group of people who all identified with one another before the Europeans arrived. Heck, the fought like the dickens some times. Calling them one people would probably have ticked them off just as much as if you called a Scotsman an Englishman during.....well.....pretty much any time.

Well said, sir. A lack of political unity was the very reason that the "First Nations" were not able to resist European colonization & American expansion. Goodness knows some leaders like Tecumseh tried, but the various clans and tribes of North America were a lot like their counterparts in the Highlands of Scotland (see Calloway's White People, Indians and Highlanders), and as you pointed out, many of them were all too happy to fight rival groups and use Europeans and Americans to their advantage.

Only in Hollywood and on television is the Indian the passive victim; in reality he was just as human as his European/American opponent.

Regards,

Todd