Here’s an excerpt from an excellent, though unspeakably sad, chronicle of the fate of native Americans at the hands of the white man.

Beginning about 1870, a leading aim of the United States was to destroy the Plains Indians’ societies through destroying their religions; and it may be that the world has never witnessed a religious persecution so implacable and so variously implemented. . . First there was military assault. . . The tribes were finally beaten, however, . . . through starvation after the whites had destroyed the buffalo. . . That revelry of slaughter, which had no sportsmanship in it, was recognized as a war measure against the Indians and was deliberately encouraged. — John Collier, Indians of the Americas (1947)