Overview
This exhibit explores the history and significance of treaties between the United States and American Indian Nations, highlighting how these agreements defined mutual obligations and sovereignty, despite often being broken or coerced. It features representative treaties from approximately 374 ratified between the US and Native Nations.
Foundational Context of Treaties
- Treaties were solemn agreements between sovereign nations central to US-Native relations.
- Native Nations practiced treaty-making long before the arrival of Europeans.
- The US recognized Native Nations as independent entities when engaging in treaty processes.
- Many treaties were not honored and were sometimes signed under duress.
- These documents continue to define obligations between the US and Native Nations.
Selection of Featured Treaties
- The exhibit includes treaties from 1778 to 1868, covering a broad geographic and historical range.
- Examples include the Treaty with the Delawares (1778), Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784), Muscogee Treaty (1790), and Fort Laramie Treaty (1868).
- Both ratified and unratified agreements, such as the Unratified California Treaty K (1852), are showcased.
- Treaties on display are on loan from the National Archives and Records Administration.
Significance and Ongoing Relevance
- Treaties remain legally and historically significant as frameworks for ongoing US-Native relationships.
- The status of these agreements influences contemporary dialogue on rights, land, and sovereignty for Native Nations.
Additional Exhibition Resources
- Visitors can explore further through the full exhibition and companion catalogue offered by the National Museum of the American Indian.