From: Iverson, Peter. "Navajo." Encyclopedia Americana. 2009. Grolier Online. 11 Apr. 2009 <[[http://ea.grolier.com/cgi-bin/article?assetid=0282610-00>.]] ·The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in 1848 oCaused Mexico to give up parts of California, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming and Nevada (some of which was Navajo land( ocaused Americans to try to control the southwest and the Navajo lands ·The Navajo people did not have a main political authority which made it hard to sign treaties with them ·Navajo land invaded in 1863 led by Kit Carson due to oNavajo clashes with U.S. army oRumours of gold on Navajo land opressure from non native community to restrict the Navajo’s rights and land ·By 1864 the majority of the Navajo had surrendered ·Forced to go on the “Long Walk” to Fort Sumner, New Mexico oMany died on the way ·Were then imprisoned for four years until they signed treaty in 1868 ·Then allowed back to a portion of their original land ·Back at their homeland were joined by thousands of Navajos who hid in surrounding area to escape imprisonment
The Livestock Reduction From: Iverson, Peter. The Navajos. 1. New York City: Chelsea House Publishers, 1990.(pgs 63-63, 72-78) ·Soil erosion cause by Navajo livestock was first reported in 1894 ·John Collier(commissioner of Indian Affairs) had the idea to reduce livestock and crops to preserve soil in 1933 ·Sheep were reduced from 570,000 to 358,000 oGovernment used statistics to show the Livestock Reduction worked ·Navajo had little input in decision and were angry at decision and methods of killing oCollier promised to give back land to the Navajo in compensation for their livestock but broke his promise oPaid very little in compensation for their animals oAnimals shot and left to rot in fields ·After Livestock Reduction (as well as Great Depression) many Navajo stopped farming and ranching and tried to find work elsewhere ·Livestock Reduction caused the Navajo to realize they needed their own independent and sturdy governmentto help them make decisions as a group
The Navajo Code Talkers in World War Two
From: "Code Talkers." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. 2009. Grolier Online. 2 May 2009 .http://gme.grolier.com/cgi-bin/article?assetid=0066535-0. ·Philip Johnson (who grew up on Navajo reservations) thought of using the unwritten Navajo language as code in 1942 ·400 Navajo members of the U.S. Marine Corps created code for the American government based on Navajo language in WW2 ·Used it to sent important combat information ·Navajo code talkers used in all Marine Divisons oFirst used in Battle For Guadalcanal in 1942 oWas used in almost all Pacific land combat operations ·Consisted of 411 terms which Code Talkers had to memorize ·Was never decoded by Japanese (enemy) ·Used again in Korean and Vietnam wars ·Finally released to the public in 1968 ·The 400 Navajo Code Talkers given certificates of appreciation in 1981 by Ronald Reagan and Congressional Gold Medals by George W. Bush in 2001
Important Navajo Leaders 1800-2000
From: Charley , Corrina. "Navajo Leaders." Indigenous Voices of the Colorado Plateau. 2005. Cline Library. 3 May 2009 http://library.nau.edu/speccoll/exhibits/indigenous_voices/navajo/leaders.html Hoskininni (date unknown-1912) ·Governed Monument valley/Navajo Mountain region ·Led Navajo people who resisted U.S. attempts to capture them for the “Long Walk” ·Hid in isolated area of Navajo Mountain for four years ·His leadership caused group to thrive in area and evade capture
Manuelito (1818-1893) ·Father was a Navajo chief also ·Appointed “official chief” of Navajos by Governor (of New Mexico) David Merryweather in 1855 ·Signed Treaty of 1868 which allowed Navajo to return to their traditional ancestral land ·Believe in European-American education to improve quality of life
Henry Chee Dodge (1857-1947) ·Was forced to walk to Fort Sumner, New Mexico on “The Long Walk” at seven years old ·Became head of Navajo Police Force and head chiefin 1884 and ·Was chosen in 1923 as first chairman of Navajo Tribal Council (government system that replaced chiefs) ·Was tribal chairman until death in 1947
Annie Dodge Wauneka(1910-1997) ·Daughter of Henry Chee Dodge ·Educated in boarding school and got degree in Public health ·Was the first woman on the Navajo Tribal Council ·Also worked as chairman of Tribal Council’s Health and Welfare Committee and member of the Surgeon General of the United States’ Advisory Committee on Indian Health ·Received Presidential Medal of Freedom Award from John F. Kennedyin 1963 ·Worked for native health and civic rights until her death in 1997
Peterson Zah (1937-) ·Worked as head of the Dine'beiina Nahiilna Be Agaditahe (DNA) which provided legal help to the Navajo, Hopi, and Apache Tribes in 1967 ·Was elected Tribal Chairman in 1982 ·Became first Navajo Nation President (reorganized government system) in 1988 and held position until 1995 Back to 1800-present Research Pages Index
Main events of the 1800’s
From: Iverson, Peter. "Navajo." Encyclopedia Americana. 2009. Grolier Online. 11 Apr. 2009 <[[http://ea.grolier.com/cgi-bin/article?assetid=0282610-00>.]]· The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in 1848
o Caused Mexico to give up parts of California, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming and Nevada (some of which was Navajo land(
o caused Americans to try to control the southwest and the Navajo lands
· The Navajo people did not have a main political authority which made it hard to sign treaties with them
· Navajo land invaded in 1863 led by Kit Carson due to
o Navajo clashes with U.S. army
o Rumours of gold on Navajo land
o pressure from non native community to restrict the Navajo’s rights and land
· By 1864 the majority of the Navajo had surrendered
· Forced to go on the “Long Walk” to Fort Sumner, New Mexico
o Many died on the way
· Were then imprisoned for four years until they signed treaty in 1868
· Then allowed back to a portion of their original land
· Back at their homeland were joined by thousands of Navajos who hid in surrounding area to escape imprisonment
The Livestock Reduction
From: Iverson, Peter. The Navajos. 1. New York City: Chelsea House Publishers, 1990.(pgs 63-63, 72-78)
· Soil erosion cause by Navajo livestock was first reported in 1894
· John Collier(commissioner of Indian Affairs) had the idea to reduce livestock and crops to preserve soil in 1933
· Sheep were reduced from 570,000 to 358,000
o Government used statistics to show the Livestock Reduction worked
· Navajo had little input in decision and were angry at decision and methods of killing
o Collier promised to give back land to the Navajo in compensation for their livestock but broke his promise
o Paid very little in compensation for their animals
o Animals shot and left to rot in fields
· After Livestock Reduction (as well as Great Depression) many Navajo stopped farming and ranching and tried to find work elsewhere
· Livestock Reduction caused the Navajo to realize they needed their own independent and sturdy government to help them make decisions as a group
The Navajo Code Talkers in World War Two
From: "Code Talkers." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. 2009. Grolier Online. 2 May 2009 .http://gme.grolier.com/cgi-bin/article?assetid=0066535-0.
· Philip Johnson (who grew up on Navajo reservations) thought of using the unwritten Navajo language as code in 1942
· 400 Navajo members of the U.S. Marine Corps created code for the American government based on Navajo language in WW2
· Used it to sent important combat information
· Navajo code talkers used in all Marine Divisons
o First used in Battle For Guadalcanal in 1942
o Was used in almost all Pacific land combat operations
· Consisted of 411 terms which Code Talkers had to memorize
· Was never decoded by Japanese (enemy)
· Used again in Korean and Vietnam wars
· Finally released to the public in 1968
· The 400 Navajo Code Talkers given certificates of appreciation in 1981 by Ronald Reagan and Congressional Gold Medals by George W. Bush in 2001
Important Navajo Leaders 1800-2000
From: Charley , Corrina. "Navajo Leaders." Indigenous Voices of the Colorado Plateau. 2005. Cline Library. 3 May 2009 http://library.nau.edu/speccoll/exhibits/indigenous_voices/navajo/leaders.html
Hoskininni (date unknown-1912)
· Governed Monument valley/Navajo Mountain region
· Led Navajo people who resisted U.S. attempts to capture them for the “Long Walk”
· Hid in isolated area of Navajo Mountain for four years
· His leadership caused group to thrive in area and evade capture
Manuelito (1818-1893)
· Father was a Navajo chief also
· Appointed “official chief” of Navajos by Governor (of New Mexico) David Merryweather in 1855
· Signed Treaty of 1868 which allowed Navajo to return to their traditional ancestral land
· Believe in European-American education to improve quality of life
Henry Chee Dodge (1857-1947)
· Was forced to walk to Fort Sumner, New Mexico on “The Long Walk” at seven years old
· Became head of Navajo Police Force and head chief in 1884 and
· Was chosen in 1923 as first chairman of Navajo Tribal Council (government system that replaced chiefs)
· Was tribal chairman until death in 1947
Annie Dodge Wauneka(1910-1997)
· Daughter of Henry Chee Dodge
· Educated in boarding school and got degree in Public health
· Was the first woman on the Navajo Tribal Council
· Also worked as chairman of Tribal Council’s Health and Welfare Committee and member of the Surgeon General of the United States’ Advisory Committee on Indian Health
· Received Presidential Medal of Freedom Award from John F. Kennedy in 1963
· Worked for native health and civic rights until her death in 1997
Peterson Zah (1937-)
· Worked as head of the Dine'beiina Nahiilna Be Agaditahe (DNA) which provided legal help to the Navajo, Hopi, and Apache Tribes in 1967
· Was elected Tribal Chairman in 1982
· Became first Navajo Nation President (reorganized government system) in 1988 and held position until 1995
Back to 1800-present Research Pages Index