Native Americans

Cultural  

1. The descendants of the original inhabitants of North America and South America before the arrival of white settlers from Europe, also called Indians or American Indians. The term Native American is sometimes preferred over Indian because the latter is a misnomer that originated with Columbus, who mistook the inhabitants of America for the people of India. Both terms, however, are accepted.

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In recent years, Native American activism has taken the form of calls for the protection of their tribal or ancestral shrines and artifacts.

Example Sentences

That has been understood to mean that people within the United States are subject to the laws here, except for foreign diplomats and, for a time, Native Americans who lived on tribal reservations.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

But for Native Americans, that is not at all the goal.

From Slate • Mar. 16, 2026

Greenpeace maintains that it played only a small and peaceful role in the movement, which was led by Native Americans.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

Native Americans were forcibly removed from their lands in the development of this nation and enslaved people were brought to America involuntarily.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

Mom, E.J., and Lee Lee keep on talking, comparing the experience of African Americans and Native Americans in the United States.

From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson