Native American's have always had it rough. When Whites started to come over to America, they didn't think twice about taking over the Native American's land. As it says in Strangers to These Shores, "Columbus's first impressions of the Arakawa Tribe in the Caribbean reflected ethnocentrism...

'I knew they were a people who would better be freed and converted to our Holy Faith by love than by force... they are all generally of good height, of pleasing appearance and well built...They must be good servants and intelligent...and I believe that they would easily become Christians, as it appeared to me that they had no sect.' (#1, pg. 223)

Struggle number one. People from other cultures trying to convert the Native Americans to their ways. Whites were the minority for severa

When a person belongs to a particular clan they would belong to a special family other than their immediate family (#4). They would have clan relatives that might not be related by blood, but according to the system of the clan they are still related intimately (#4). Native American's may have relatives they have never seen before, but in the Creators opinion they are family (#4).

#3. Internet site;www.menominee.com Lesson 7, pg. 1

The most serious problem facing Native Americans today is alcohol abuse, which plays a key role in their high mortality rate (#1). Native American people between the ages of 25 to 34, have a rate of terminal liver cirrhosis about fifteen times the national average (#1). Death from alcohol related causes are five times the national rate (#1). In spite of the stereotype of Native Americans alcoholism, there had been no research proving this to be fact (#1).

Clan family systems are very important to the Menominee people and their way of life (#4). A clan is defined as a group of people who are related through a common ancestor (#4). The relationship goes way past the immediate family, it is everything in the Universe that was made by the same Creator, they are related (#4). When the Creator created each animal, person, tree, etc, He created a relationship between each (#4).

The Menominee clan system was practiced to create an order within the tribe (#4). Its Chief (#4) represented each clan. Decisions were made by look at the tribe as a whole, and doing what was best for the whole, however, if there were arguments people could speak out and be heard (#4). The Menominee clan system is made up of five main clans, with including sub-clans (#4). The Five main clans are the Eagle, Wolf, Crane, Moose, and Bear (#4). Each clan had a responsibility, for example Eagle stood for leadership, Bears were protectors, Cranes were the builders, Wolf were the hunters and gathers, Moose stood for security, and there were many others.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2075
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)