Native Americans were the first people to live in what would later become the United States, but once European settlers arrived, the native people's lives changed forever. As the US formed its own government and expanded to cover the land from coast to coast, Native Americans were pushed off their land, treated violently, and stripped of their rights, language, and culture. Over the years, the government made many efforts to work with native people, and those natives fought to regain their rights. This book covers the entire story of US government and Native American relations, from the arrival of the first Europeans to the difficulties tribes still face today as they struggle to manage their own affairs and live peaceful and prosperous jives here in the United States. Book jacket.