Manuelito and the Navajo Reservation:The Study of American Indian Policy Between 1850~1884

• Main Authors: Pei-Te Wu, 吳培德
• Other Authors: Thomas B. Lee
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/56974979499842052803

博士 === 淡江大學 === 美洲研究所博士班 === 98 === Since 1850s, the American nationalism and expansionism were escalate to a peak as the Federal government obtained new territory from Mexico. Prior to approach to the West, two interior problems would need to be solved: western Indians who fought against American in order to crowding out invaders from Indian land, Indian wars subsided after1890s; the other problem was the unharmonious between North and South within the Unio due to the ideological split, and it ended up by Civil War. Both events of the above cause great, including whites and Indians, property and life loss, plus one of the sub effects was the radical and ambiguity Indian policies that applied to Western Indian tribes. The Navajo, an ethnic tribe that lived in southwest part of America, lede by a great war chief Manuelito who fought against invasion from whites. After a series of failures, Manuelito learned to cope Americans with patience. He transformed himself from a war chief into a peace keeper, negociating by a pragmatic manner, and he held his promise to the very end. Federal government appreciated of what he’d done, land grant and compensations were then to occured. Manuelito became one of the most prominent chieves in American history. There were three exterior factors that manipulating the fate of Navajos. First, the American weatward movement, which was led by the theory of “Manifested Dastiny,” people enthusiastically contributed to it. Second, churches linked Indian assimilation policy to Christianization, and played a critical role in the process of assimilation. And, third, the bureaucratic competition within the government affected the process of decision making. Noun of the above were handled by Navajos, they could only react after theoutside irritation occurred. Navajos’ fate also affected by two interior factors which were dominated by Navajos themselves. The first was Indian tribal meeting, the powwow, through a collectively decision making approach, Navajo chiefs figured out the best reaction to the stimulation from the exterior. Second was Manueltio’s strong well of building up their own autonomous reservation. The very well supported Manuelito struggled for his people and categorized him to a pragmatic idealist.