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American Indians, Hagan

William T. Hagan wrote this history about the conflicts between Native Americans and the immigrants from western Europe. The Indians were not united as one nation. There was no average white man either. There was a great variation in the relations, but often a disregard of Indian rights and acts of brutality. This 1961 book predicts the Pan-Indian movement will achieve progress. Hagan is the Chairman and Professor of History at a New York State University College. This 190-page book has a Preface, Contents, and Index. The `Important Dates' run from 1622 to 1958. There is a list of `Suggested Reading' for each of the six chapters. The photographs mostly date from the late 19th century.

The `Editorial Preface' notes the differences in outlook. American was not an "empty" continent but inhabited by peoples whose ancient culture was overwhelmed by invaders from far away. [Did this inspires those science-fiction movies about Invaders from Space?] Editor Boorstin neglects to mention the similar invasion of Europe from the Romans, the Mongols and Huns, and the Turks. Few reached western Europe. The conflict was between vastly unequal forces. This provides a new outlook on familiar history.

Chapter I tells about the hundreds of spoken dialects among the 600 thousand Indians in what is now the USA. They quickly adopted metal tools and utensils, firearms, horses and sheep. Horses allowed tribes to follow the buffalo herds. Tribes that acquired metal weapons could oppress tribes that lacked them. But firearms and other goods made them dependent upon the whites (p.6). New diseases could annihilate Indian villages. There were differences based on the country. The French and Spanish used Indians, the English sought to drive them away by warfare (p.10). The Puritans disregarded Indian personal and property rights, this led to war (p.14). Pennsylvania Quakers dealt justly with the Indians (p.16). The English enslaved captured Indians (p.17). The victory of the British over the French also meant the Indians lost their power (p.23). The movement into Indian lands caused conflicts (p.27). At first the fur trade made Indians rich. A lessened harvest of furs was followed by warfare and the loss of Indian lands (p.29). Whenever there was a conflict between Indians and frontiersmen the central government supported the whites (p.30).

The Declaration of Independence listed Indian warfare as one of the complaints (Chapter II). Few Indians supported the American cause. The British gave gifts to get Indian support. The Continental Congress asked for Indian neutrality (p.34). The Indians backed the losing side. They were condemned for not cultivating their lands (p.39). Congress protected Indian rights but local conflicts went on (p.40). Americans mostly disregarded Indian property and lives. The loss of game led to Indian migration to the west (p.49). Hagan censors the facts about the sale of Yazoo lands (p.54). The entire legislation was voted out of office! Jefferson used the Louisiana Territory to exchange Indian lands (p.55). Americans hired friendly tribes to attack pro-British tribes (p.61). The Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812 and British support for Indian tribes (p.64). The next decades saw the removal of many tribes to west of the Mississippi as settlers flooded into the available lands to create twelve new states (p.66). The remaining chapters provide a concise history of facts omitted or censored from your school textbooks.

For somebody who knows nothing or little about the history of Indian-white relations in America, this book would be no help. I have read extensively on this subject and was therefore able to make conclusions about what Hagan was saying throughout the book. He quotes frequently in places that don't fit and have no place in the text, he alludes to things but does not explain what he means, he mentions historical characters but does so in a way that leaves either misinformed impressions or leaves the reader clueless as to why he even mentioned them. For a book by a University Professor and in the Chicago History series, this book is a sad excuse for covering "American Indians."