American Indian Tribal Governments

Front Cover
University of Oklahoma Press, 1993 - Social Science - 368 pages

This book describes the struggle of Indian tribes and their governments to achieve freedom and self-determination despite repeated attempts by foreign governments to dominate, exterminate, or assimilate them. Drawing on the disciplines of political science, history, law, and anthropology and written in a direct, readable style, American Indian Tribal Governments is a comprehensive introduction to traditional tribal governments, to the history of Indian-white relations, to the structure and legal rights of modern tribal governments, and to the changing roles of federal and state governments in relation to modem tribal governments. Publication of this book fills a gap in American Indian studies, providing scholars with a basis from which to begin an integrated study of tribal government, providing teachers with an excellent introductory textbook, and providing general readers with an accessible and complete introduction to American Indian history and government.

The book's unique structure allows coverage of a great breadth of information while avoiding the common mistake of generalizing about all tribes and cultures. An introductory section presents the basic themes of the book and describes the traditional governments of five tribes chosen for their geographic and cultural diversity-the Senecas, the Muscogees, the Lakotas, the Isleta Pueblo, and the Yakimas. The next three chapters review the history of Indian-white relations from the time Christopher Columbus "discovered" America to the present. Then the history and modem government of each of the five tribes presented earlier is examined in detail. The final chapters analyze the evolution and current legal powers of tribal governments, the tribal-federal relationship, and the tribal-state relationship.

American Indian Tribal Governments illuminates issues of tribal sovereignty and shows how tribes are protecting and expanding their control of tribal membership, legal systems, child welfare, land and resource use, hunting and fishing, business regulation, education, and social services. Other examples show tribes negotiating with state and federal governments to alleviate sources of conflict, including issues of criminal and civil jurisdiction, taxation, hunting and fishing rights, and control of natural resources. Excerpts from historical and modem documents and speeches highlight the text, and more than one hundred photos, maps, and charts show tribal life, government, and interaction with white society as it was and is. Included as well are a glossary and a chronology of important events.

From inside the book

Contents

Introduction
3
Traditional Tribal Governments
14
Tribal Distribution 1500
15
A History
35
A Century of Destruction
49
Claims to Tribal Territories 17761803
50
Dislocation of the Unami Delaware Nation
59
A Century of Confusion
71
The Isleta Pueblo
162
Isleta Pueblo Secular Government
176
The Yakimas
181
Powers of Tribal Government
197
The LawEnforcementJurisdictional Maze
207
Average Life Expectancy Rates
249
An Overview
255
TABLE
257

Indian Land Cessions 16601880
79
Past and Present
103
American Indian Population 14921980 77
110
The Muscogee Creek Nation of Oklahoma
119
Muscogee Nation Government
133
The Cheyenne River Sioux
138
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Organization
153
TribalState Relations
276
The Future
291
Important Events in Indian History
299
Glossary
313
Bibliography
321
Index
347
Copyright

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About the author (1993)

Sharon O'Brien, who received the Ph.D. in political science from the University of Oregon, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Government and International Studies, University of Notre Dame.

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