The U.S. Called It “Treaties” — Tribes Called It Loss

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00]None of those stories would exist without this one. The origin story, the first thing that the US ever stole. In fact, George Washington was quote determined that the US government's administration of Indian affairs shall be directed entirely by the great principles of justice and humanity. What did I tell you guys? On paper it sounds good. Guys, we're going to do this this Indian affair stuff and we're going to do it with justice and with humanity on paper.

[00:00:31]But in reality, it's done with bloodshed.

[00:00:34]>> Instead of conquest, they would negotiate and sign formal treaties with these native nations. Then they would pay them for their land, fair and square.

[00:00:43]After all, this was a country whose founding document highlights justice, tranquility, welfare, and liberty.

[00:00:50]But none of those stories would exist without this one. The origin story, the first thing that the US ever stole.

[00:01:01]So Europeans are pouring into this newly formed country, the United States. And the government is making deals and signing treaties with the tribes, allowing these newcomer immigrants to settle on their land. At first, this is a fairly peaceful transactional process.

[00:01:18]The US would offer food, farming equipment, cash, the services of a blacksmith all in exchange for ownership over this land.

[00:01:27]But unsurprisingly, a lot of these tribes had no interest in moving out of their ancestral lands. And for the tribes that did willingly sell pieces of the land or trade off pieces of the land, you have to recognize that these aboriginal American Indians, they viewed land differently. You know, if they've got a tribe of like a thousand of them and they live in this vast area that's like a hundred square miles, well, they're not really tripping that much if some European settle up, you know, down the way a few miles away. To them, it's no big deal, but we're going to learn over time a lot of these tribes did realize, "Wait a minute. They have some some some real negative intentions."

[00:02:09]>> Hi guys. I had a my genealogy conversation with Mike today.

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