Native American Stereotypes

1. Native Americans were conquered because they were inferior. Reality: Native Americans were conquered because of disease
2. Native Americans had no civilization until Europeans brought it to them. Reality: Native Americans had a civilization, but it was just different from the Europeans' civilization
3. Native Americans were warlike and treacherous. Reality: Native Americans only became warlike when Europeans tried to invade their land
4. Native Americans had nothing to contribute to Europeans or to the growth of America. Reality: Native Americans contributed to the Columbian Exchange
5. Native American tribes did not value women. Reality: Women had a lot of power in the Native American society
6. Native Americans have no religion. Reality: Each Native American tribe had a religion
7. Native Americans are a vanishing race. Reality: They decreased, but then increased because of medical attention, and there are now 5 million Native Americans
8. Native Americans get a free ride from the government. Reality: The Native Americans work as hard or harder than regular people for money, land, etc.