Vanishing Indian Analysis

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The popular myth of the Native American race vanishing was a popular, yet incorrect myth the circulated in the 19th century as suggested by document 3. The reality was better seen in source 4. The myth of the vanishing Indian was a myth that likely spread due to American interest in proving to other nations that they could indeed tame the wild savages of the Americas; however, this myth, no matter how widespread, never truly reflected the reality of Native Americans in the late 19th Century. The myth of the vanishing Indian was suggested by document 3, and advertisement aimed at wealthy eastern tourists. The advertisement suggested that Indians were vanishing because rather than taking up American land, Indians were now often found in agricultural and industrial pursuits. The reason why this myth was so popular however, was due to the fact that American entrepreneurs were profiting from Eastern tourism and the fact that the myth demonstrated the robbing of Indian land in a better, more favorable manner. The author of annual journal argued that after the extinction of the buffalo, many Indians were less reluctant to …show more content…

The document proves that Native Americans were still around, along with their traditions and cultures by bringing insight on the life of Joe Black Fox, a sort of westernized Indian. The image, as spoken of before, also shows that Natives were in fact accepting American/western culture as well, as proved by the western style clothing sported by Black Fox in the photograph. This was the Native American reality: Although not completely, Native Americans were beginning to take parts of American culture and blending them with their well preserved Native traditions. Black Fox also traveled with Buffalo Bill for some time, proving that there were Natives who could remain faithful to their heritage while being a part of Western culture as

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