The online resource that I decided to examine or preview was
once entitled: “American Indian Biographies A-Z “that led me eventually to a
page entitled: “New Perspectives on the West“ where there were various brief biographies
of Native Americans some of which we
have read about in Peter Nabokov’s book entitled: “Native American Testimony
Revised Edition” such as in the case of Black Hawk. However the Biographies Gave a
little more detail about these various Native American people the list also included also some whites, and
even some famous whites such as Samuel Clemmons aka Mark Twain. In some of the
biographies it documented whites like John Brown which seemed to be in support,
or on the side of Native Americans by helping the Native American people of the
time against the overpowering whites in their attempt at inhalation of Native Americans
by treating Native Americas with kindness, and respect as well as helping
Native Americans during a time when most whites would not have. In this student’s opinion Kindness, respect
and help is something that Native Americans should have been receiving from
white people from the beginning. However as we have learned in the readings
this was sadly not the case and whites of the time like John Brown were a exception
rather than the rule of the time (Annette Lamb) (People) (Nobokov) .
To the contrary there were also biographies of other whites
listed on the site that were quite dishonorable towards Native Americans at the
time. One particular bio that stands out is that of a man named John
Chivingston who was particularly nasty towards Native Americans. Again this is something that we have been learning
about in the various readings for this course. So reading about whites that did
not act honorably or ethically when it came to the treatment of Native
Americans of the time was sad to read but unfortunately not particularly
shocking that whites behaved in this dishonorable way toward Native Americans (Nobokov) (Treure) .
This student will be giving examples of both whites that
seemed to help assist the Native Americans, as well as individuals who had more
traditional views, opinions, and actions of the time when it came to Native Americans.
In an example of a white that helped Native Americans can be
found in the Biography of a man named was a man named John Brown who lived from
1800- 1859 according to his biography and was a rare white person at the time
as Brown found it morally, and ethically right to help Native Americans and
salves when it came to their battle with suppression, and unfair treatment that
Native Americans were receiving from whites by helping Native Americans arrange passage in the underground railroad
during that dark, and terrible time in our history. Being that John Brown was
willing to do this for Native Americans it defiantly makes John Brown a rarity
of the time (John Brown 1800 - 1859) .
In a more typical bio of a white man of the time when it came
to the treatment of Native Americans would have been with a man named John M.
Chivingston. Chivingston was known to have said: “It is simply not possible for
Indians to obey or understand any treaty” (John M. Chivingston 1821 - 1894) . In this students
opinion Chivingston had confused the mental competency of Native Americans with
whites of the time when it came to not understanding the treaties that were made
between the two parties. Something that Chivingston did (Please see example
below) supports this student opinion in this matter (John M. Chivingston 1821 - 1894) .
In John Chivingston’s bio it mentioned that Black Kettle and
his tribe were hanging an American flag, and a white flag of truths outside a
tipi to Chivingston and his troops. Signaling that the Black Kettle and the
other Native Americans of the group wished to declare a truths with the
American White. However apparently Chivingston who in his bio and that is
stated above as mentioning that “It is simply not possible for Indians to obey
or understand any treaty” ordered an attack on the Native Americans and Black
Kettle even though a truths were called by Black Kettle and his camp. So this
student really was disturbed that a White man can make a statement like the one
above made by Chivingston stating that Native Americans are unable to honor any
agreement yet it was the white man that seems to be the one that is not able to
understand simple things such as a white flag of truths (John M.
Chivingston 1821 - 1894) .
This source in this student’s opinion is a great source for learning
about a variety of Native Americans such as: Black Kettle among many others. Threw
this particular source that contains a large collection of mini biographies not
only Native Americans, but whites of the time some of who were ethical and kind
to Native Americans such as John Brown who helped Native Americans as mentioned
above. As well as others of dishonorable, and unethical actions towards Native
Americans such as John Chivingston and his dishonorable and cowardly acts Native
Americans (John M. Chivingston 1821 - 1894) (John Brown
1800 - 1859) .
Works
Cited
Annette Lamb, Larry Johnson. "American Indian
Biographies A-Z." October 2001. Webpage. 17 June 2017.
<http://www.42explore2.com/native3.htm>.
"Black Kettle ?? -1868." 2001. New
Perspectives on the West. 17 June 2017. <http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/blackkettle.htm>.
"John Brown 1800 - 1859." 2001. New
Perspectives on the West. 17 June 2017.
<http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/brown.htm>.
"John M. Chivingston 1821 - 1894." 2001. New
Perspectives on the West. Webpage. 17 June 2017.
<http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/chivington.htm>.
"M! Online Resourses." n.d. SUNY Empire
State College. Webpage. 17 June 2017.
<https://moodle.esc.edu/mod/page/view.php?id=1590209>.
"M1 Acedemic Journal Blog (Assignment and
Instructions)." n.d. SUNY Empire State College. 17 June 2017.
<https://moodle.esc.edu/mod/page/view.php?id=1590207>.
Nobokov, Peter. Native American Testimony Revised
Edition. Revised Edition. New York: Penguin Group, 1999. 4 June 2017.
"People." 2001. New Perspectives on the
West. 17 June 2017.
<http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/index.htm>.
Treure, Anton. National Geographic Atlas of Indian
Nations. Washington: National Geographic, 2013. Book. 27 May 2017.
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