The city of Seattle was a very different place, before European settlers had made contact with the Native people of the region; the Duwamish tribe. Native people have been known to have inhabited the city from over four thousand years ago. However, the population of Native people in the region began to deteriorate as soon as European settlers first made contact with the local people. Although this was due to a combination of different reasons, in this research paper I will look at one such key event which I believe was crucial to the disappearance of Native people in Seattle; the signing of the Treaty of Point Elliott.
Before understanding the impact that the treaty had on the indigenous people of the region it is important to gain an understanding
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This treaty which was signed as a show of friendship between the two races, and would pose to haunt the Duwamish people in the coming years. This was a key event to the downfall of the Duwamish tribe and it’s implications are discussed below.
The first implication that will be examined is the fact that the treaty had promised the Duwamish people that they would receive a reservation from the United States government, which was not fulfilled. The Duwamish people, like other Native tribes, had lived on the same land for generations. However, due to the violence that the European settlers brought to their people, some decided that they would rather leave their homes and join other neighbouring tribes, than than suffer. A painful decision which was inspired by the Duwamish chief; Chief
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This website offers the point of view of the Duwamish people through descendent of the tribe. The website provides a brief history on the Treaty of Point Elliott and the following attacks that took place stating, “European-American immigrants soon violated the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855, triggering a series of Native rebellions”. This, once again, tells us that the attack was instigated by the Europeans and was not just a violent attack on the Europeans without reason. It was a defence move once the Native people found out that they had been