Introduction

A lesson in The Size of the Indigenous Population in the United States – Part 1 History course.

Featured image showing a map of the American Indian and Alaska Native Population
American Indian and Alaska Native Population

About the Image:

This land map shows how the land Indigenous people historically occupied changed over time in the United States. Native Americans previously occupied all of North America and have lost nearly 99% of their land. During first contact with European settlers, the Indigenous population dramatically decreased due to diseases, including smallpox, measles, and influenza. What followed was a century of tragedies for Native Americans as their land was taken piece by piece starting with Spain, France, and England and ending with the formation of the United States. Many heroic Native Americans made courageous efforts to save their people and their land, but they were forced onto reservations.