Native Americans have lived on the North American continent for at least 10,000 years and millions of Native Americans were living in what is today the United States at the time European settlers first arrived . During the colonial and independent periods , European settlers waged a long series of conflicts , often with the objective of obtaining the resources of Native Americans . Through wars , forced displacement ( such as the Trail of Tears ) , and the imposition of treaties , land was taken . The loss of land often resulted in hardships for Native Americans . In the early 18th century , the English had enslaved nearly 800 Choctaws
Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
Racism in the United States