Staking Our Claim (Book Review Sample)

Name Tutors name Course Date Before the Europeans who include Spaniards and British arrived in California, there were a diverse, native people who spoke more than 100 native languages. Among the natives were the Californians Indians. However, things changes for the native Indians as they were targeted for extermination by the Spaniards. In the mid of 17th century, most Indians died due to diseases which were introduced or through extermination and those who survived were denied citizenship rights or were over worked. There was a great deal of discrimination against the native Indians in California. The governor announced that the Indians will be exterminated and promised to reward those who hunt and kill them. Thus the Indians were discriminated then accused of stealing livestock or other excuses were given. Occasionally Indians revenged by killing the white folks. In 1860, the Indian people who include women and children were massacred. Indian women were abducted, rape and forced into concubinage. There was also a decline in the number of Indian women giving birth which contributed further to the decline in the population by 50%. Those who survive starvation, diseases, violence and malnutrition were forced to work as servants. The Indians slavery ended in 1863, but it was followed by another long century of discrimination in which the people who own farms employed the poor people and pay ...