Famous Native American Chiefs: Cochise

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Cochise was one of the most famous of all the Native American chiefs during the 1800s. He was famous at first because he was seen as an honest and peaceful man. He lived at peace with anyone who came into the area where he lived. Cochise became famous later though because he held out against the United States army and would not surrender until he felt he had no other choice. . When he finally did surrender, it was because most of his people had been killed already and he wanted to save the lives of those that remained. Cochise wrote “I am Alone.” He is not really associated with what many Americans would call patriotism, or at least not white Americans refer to as patriotism. It really depends on how one defines the word patriotism though. If patriotism means being loyal to one’s nation, then Cochise is definitely a patriot. If patriotism means being loyal to the United States, then Cochise is the opposite of a patriot for he made it clear that he detested the United States, its government, its people, and its belief that it had some sort of right to all of the land that it chose to claim in North America. Cochise surrendered only to save the lives of his people, not to surrender his opinion that what the U.S. government did to him and his people was wrong. Those beliefs sound a lot like what the U.S. patriots claimed when they revolted against the British government. They were just luckier and more successful. In the end, Cochise is a patriot just like the colonists of the American Revolution, but his patriotism lies with his own nation, the Apache Nation, yet it is every bit as strong and as honorable as any American’s patriotism.
Cochise’s patriotism was to the Apache Nation. They lived in an area that is now partly the northe...

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...n). If that is true, then Cochise still owns the land that rightfully belongs to the Chiricahua Apaches because he died on the reservation that his brave speech won for his remaining people and is buried in an unknown location somewhere on it, so he truly does own that land. Cochise’s patriotism won the land for him.

Works Cited

AIHF. "Cochise." 2014. Indians.org/American Inidan Heritage Foundation. Web. 9 April 2014. .
America Remembers. "Tribute To Cochise Winchester Rifle – The Legendary Chiricahua Apache Chief." 2014. America Remembers. Web. 9 April 2014. .
Bournazian, Vivian. "Cochise (1815-1874)." 2004. Many Things. Web. 9 April 2014. .
Cochise. "I Am Alone." n.d.

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