The History of Oregon's Indigenous Peoples: From Indian Country to Broken Treaties

🗺️Oregon has been Indian country for thousands of years, with dozens of different tribes living in diverse environments of natural abundance.

⚔️Conflict arose when white settlers desired Oregon's natural resources and displaced Native peoples from their lands.

📜Broken treaties resulted in the loss of Native lands and the forced removal of tribes from their home territories.

🌍Despite predictions of cultural extinction, Oregon is home to nine federally recognized tribes today.

🌟Oregon's Indigenous peoples have a rich cultural heritage and continue to thrive, challenging narratives of disappearance.

How long have Native peoples lived in Oregon?

—Native peoples have lived in what is now Oregon for thousands of years.

What led to conflicts between Indigenous peoples and white settlers?

—Conflicts arose when white settlers desired Oregon's natural resources and displaced Native peoples from their lands.

What happened to Native lands and treaties?

—Broken treaties resulted in the loss of Native lands and the forced removal of tribes from their home territories.

Are there any federally recognized tribes in Oregon today?

—Yes, there are currently nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon.

How have Oregon's Indigenous peoples thrived despite challenges?

—Oregon's Indigenous peoples have a rich cultural heritage and continue to thrive, challenging narratives of disappearance.

00:00Oregon has been Indian country since ancient times, with diverse tribes and abundant natural resources.

13:32The Doctrine of Discovery and Manifest Destiny were used to justify taking Native lands.

14:19The Oregon Donation Land Act illegally gave away Native lands to white settlers.

15:13Violence and clashes between Native peoples and non-Indigenous settlers increased in the 1840s and '50s.

15:48The arrival of white settlers disrupted the lives and cultures of Indigenous peoples.

16:16Despite the challenges, Native peoples in Oregon have survived and continue to thrive today.