Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans
and Alaska Natives

Total population
American Indian and Alaska Native One race: 2.5 million[1] In combination with one or more other races: 1.6 million[2]
Regions with significant populations
United States (predominantly the Midwest and West)
Languages
Mainly American English, Spanish, and Native American languages
Religion
Native American Church Protestantism Sacred Pipe Kiva Religion Long House Roman Catholicism Russian Orthodox
Related ethnic groups
Other Indigenous peoples of the Americas

Native Americans in the United States (also known as American Indians)^[3] are the indigenous people from the areas of North America now part of the continental United States, including parts of Alaska. The US government recognizes 574 tribes.^[4] There are about 310 Indian reservations in the US. Most Native Americans do not live on a reservation anymore.^[5]

There were and still are many diverse groups of Natives in what is now the US. The diversity includes various and rich languages and cultures. The arrival of Europeans in the Americas drastically changed Native Americans in the US. The history of these Native Americans is a story of suppression and the forced removal from their lands. During American history, there were various Native responses to European colonization and American expansion.^[6] In the 20th century, Natives got more rights and were recognized as citizens.

There are still problems today that impact Native Americans in the United States. Natives Americans face discrimination from other groups. There is also racism and cultural appropriation. There are also public health issues connected to historical trauma and generations of misstreatment.

1. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau. (2001–2005). Profiles of General Demographic Characteristics 2000: 2000 Census of Population and Housing. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-05-23.
2. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau. (2001–2005). Profiles of General Demographic Characteristics 2000: 2000 Census of Population and Housing. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-05-23. "In combination with one or more of the other races listed." Figure here derived by subtracting figure for "One race (American Indian and Alaska Native)": 2,475,956, from figure for "Race alone or in combination with one or more other races (American Indian and Alaska Native)": 4,119,301, giving the result 1,643,345. Other races counted in the census include: "White"; "Black or African American"; "Asian"; "Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander"; and "Some other race."
3. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions | Native Knowledge 360° - Interactive Teaching Resources". National Museum of the American Indian.
4. ↑ "List of Federal and State Recognized Tribes". www.ncsl.org. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-07-29.
5. ↑ Joe Whittle (September 4, 2017). "Most Native Americans live in cities, not reservations. Here are their stories". Guardian. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
6. ↑ "Native American History Timeline". HISTORY. Retrieved 2022-07-29.