European settlers have a long history of mistreatment of Native Americans. The most famous example is the Trail of Tears where President Van Buren and the federal government forcibly and violently removed the Cherokee Indians from their homeland in 1838. Over 18,000 Cherokee women, men and children were forced to walk 1,600 miles from Georgia to Oklahoma. Of these people, 4,000 died due to the harsh climate, starvation, and exposure to disease. European settlers during this period viewed Native Americans as uncivilized savages and used this perception to justify the violent removal of Native Americans from their land. Native Americans initially accepted European settlement but resisted removal. The status of African Americans in this period has generated debate among historians, but there is sufficient evidence to show that they were perceived as similar to Native Americans; as not equal to European settlers. European settlers justified this by denying their natural rights. African Americans, however, were seen as useful resources and remained on their land and were used as slaves. In return, African Americans responded by attempting to flee to their freedom. Native Americans were viewed poorly in the eyes of European settlers. “Europeans' early perception of the Indians was a major factor in how explorers and early settlers treated the Native Americans and eventually subjugated them. They were sometimes considered barbarians because of their different lifestyle. The Europeans established discussed in primary sources how their rituals and traditions were "horrible and abominable and deserved punishment". For example, Native Americans sacrifice souls to their idols as a ritual. Europeans did not think this was good behavior. . middle of paper... have never received a similar sentence. The court issued these sentences simply because of the color of their skin, which for them reduced African Americans to a lower status than any white person Native Americans were unjustly removed from their homeland because European settlers saw them as savages unworthy of living among them. Native Americans responded to their cruelty with pleas of desperation. These pleas of desperation were annoyed and instead continued the excuses to do what was "best" for both of them. Works Cited Breen, T. H. and Stephen Innes. “Myne owne ground”: race and freedom on the eastern coast of Virginia, 1640-1676. 25th anniversary ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. Wheeler, William Bruce, and Susan D. Becker. Discovering America's past: A look at the evidence. 6th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2007.