Events with tag - Indigenous Peoples

January 1, 21001 BC

First Native Americans Migration

Archaeological evidence reveals that the first humans reached North America at least 23,000 years ago, challenging previous theories that suggested arrival around 13,000 years ago. Multiple migration waves occurred, with people crossing from Asia via the Bering Land Bridge and along Pacific coastal routes.

January 1, 12001 BC

First Native American Settlements Along Mississippi River

The first Native American settlements emerged along the Mississippi River around 12,000 BCE, establishing the foundation for complex civilizations that would thrive in the region for thousands of years.

February 23, 1540

Coronado's Expedition to the American Southwest

In 1540, Spanish conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led a massive expedition of over 1,000 people through the American Southwest, searching for the mythical Seven Cities of Gold. While the legendary cities were never found, the two-year journey resulted in the first detailed European documentation of the region's geography, indigenous peoples, and natural resources.

June 20, 1675

King Philip's War

A devastating conflict between New England colonists and Native Americans led by Metacom (King Philip) that resulted in massive casualties and reshaped colonial America's future.

May 28, 1838

The Trail of Tears

The Trail of Tears was a tragic forced relocation of Native American tribes between 1831-1850, resulting in thousands of deaths. Under the Indian Removal Act, approximately 60,000 Native Americans were forced to leave their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States for territories in present-day Oklahoma.

May 13, 1915

Native American Day

A significant cultural observance honoring America's indigenous peoples, first initiated in 1915 by Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Indian who persuaded the Boy Scouts of America to recognize the 'First Americans.'

January 9, 1918

Battle of Bear Valley

The Battle of Bear Valley in southern Arizona marked the final armed conflict between Native Americans and U.S. military forces, involving Yaqui fighters and a U.S. Army cavalry unit. This historic engagement ended centuries of warfare between indigenous peoples and the United States government.

June 2, 1924

Indian Citizenship Act

A landmark legislation that granted full U.S. citizenship to approximately 125,000 Native Americans who previously lacked this status, marking a pivotal moment in American civil rights history.

January 1, 1957

Native American Voting Rights Journey

Despite the 15th Amendment granting voting rights to all citizens in 1870, Native Americans faced systematic discrimination and were the last group to gain full voting rights in the United States, with Utah finally granting these rights in 1957.

November 16, 1990

NAGPRA Enactment

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act became law, marking a pivotal moment in protecting Indigenous cultural heritage by establishing legal guidelines for the recovery and return of Native American cultural items, including human remains and sacred objects.

September 21, 2004

National Museum of the American Indian Opens

The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian opens its doors on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., marking the first national museum dedicated exclusively to Native Americans. The opening featured a six-day First Americans Festival with over 25,000 Native Americans from more than 500 tribes.