An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States

There are many stories about black people in America in this book. The white people really hurt them during the civil war. I feel bad for them. Decent book. Also they killed all the Natives but thats how you rule countries.

If you're really interested in History, you must read this book. We must face the lies we've built our modern way of thinking on, and this book will tear down many of the myths we've woven about the democratic, well intentions of our Western societies. If we don't face these truths, we'll continue doing what the indigenous peoples of America have suffered from for so long. And this is not very Christian. Nor democratic. Nor well intended.

🪶'An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States' by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz is not simply an alternative history book; it is a foundational, necessary, and utterly transformative piece of scholarship that deserves to be read by every single person who wants to understand the true nature of the American experiment. This book is a gut-punch of clarity, earning a rare 5 out of 5 stars for its profound historical contribution, meticulous research, and powerful narrative voice! ⭐️The Definitive Reframing of US History! What makes this book essential is the author's relentless and rigorous focus on the Indigenous perspective. Dunbar-Ortiz completely dismantles the pervasive "founding myth" of the United States as a glorious, divinely ordained nation built on empty land. She replaces this narrative with the undeniable truth that the U.S. was founded as a settler-colonial state, and its expansion was a centuries-long, systematic program of genocide and land dispossession. 🪶Settler-Colonialism: The book clearly and unequivocally establishes that U.S. policy towards Indigenous nations was not a series of unfortunate accidents or regrettable frontier skirmishes. It was a deliberate, ideological, and often brutal effort to eliminate the original inhabitants in order to seize their territory. ⭐️Challenging the Canon: By revealing the truth of this "way of war" from the colonial era through the 20th century, Dunbar-Ortiz forces the reader to confront the reality that many of the celebrated figures and events in U.S. history are directly tied to these extermination policies. 🪶Unflinching Scholarship and Emotional Impact: Upon research I discovered that Dunbar-Ortiz, is a renowned historian and activist, synthesizes vast amounts of scholarship plenty capable of creating a chronological and coherent history! ⭐️Meticulous Documentation: The writing is supported by extensive research, drawing heavily on Indigenous voices, treaties, government documents, and the words of the colonizers themselves. This makes the argument unassailable; the facts speak for themselves. 🪶A Painful but Necessary Read: Be forewarned!! This book is intensely difficult to read at times due to the sheer volume of injustice and calculated violence described. However, it descends into melodrama. Her tone is one of fierce, unwavering truth-telling that is vital for achieving an honest understanding of the past. ⭐️Connecting Past to Present: Crucially, the book doesn't end in the 19th century. It draws a clear, straight line from the policies of settler-colonialism to modern issues of militarism, resource exploitation, and the continued struggle for Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination. 🪶The Value of the Book: This is not a book for someone looking for comfort; it’s a book for someone looking for truth. It should be a book of MANDITORY reading for all high schools and colleges across the country. It is a work of intellectual integrity that provides the necessary context for understanding the cultural, political, and social landscape of the United States today. If you are serious about understanding history beyond the myths, about reckoning with America's origins, and about honoring the resistance and perseverance of the Indigenous peoples, you must read this book. It's a permanent fixture in my library! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great book. Bringing finally the truth about what the crimes settlers (guided by religious motivations!) committed against the Native Americans (500 Nations, your remember?). The genocide lasted centuries, as the "last frontier" moved further and further to the West, reaching finally the Pacific Ocean. And their land was stollen. Great explanations how the mindset persists in the present US politics and military. An eye opener. You'll never see the US, and the European settlers (maybe your/my ancestors?) in the same manner. History repeats and repeats ... What was worse: the Holocaust or this two-century long genocide? The book ends with very interesting perspectives into the present and future of the US. Awakes emotions and questioning as moving as "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee", when not more ... Thanks to the wonderful work & investigations of the author. Very strong recommendation!

This is a remarkable book. It is much more than Native American history. The book is interesting to read. While it talks about historical facts, it keeps the reader engaged and always wanting more. The writer made some great analogies to modern policies and how past history is still being applied today. I did not always agree with the analogies, but the logic and the connections are undeniable. In many parts of the book, I wondered how I never heard of this before. On many occasions I had doubts that this is really what happened. Every time I checked with other references, all the facts in the book were proven true. This just testifies to how much I did not know about native history. Being an immigrant myself, I have always wondered why native history is not in the front page. Why is it not the first hall in our museums. My children learned very little about that history at school. In many parts of the book, I had to stop reading because it was hard to know about all these atrocities. Many of immigrants like myself, think we were never part of this genocide. Therefore, it is not our fault. I think if we did not pay attention to Native rights and struggles to have a decent life, then we are not as innocent as we claim.