They make up only about one and a half percent of the American population, but they are significant in more than numbers. American Indians have been exploited, moved, and killed almost from the point of first contact with European settlers, and had to use their cultural strengths and determination to survive and move toward self-determination. The contributors here give a broad overview of the indigenous people of North America from initial defeat to modern autonomy and identity, offering both classic and leading-edge interpretations. They cover European invasions and colonialism, the rise and fall of Indian Nations, the cultural issues behind Indian removal, the ramifications of war and marriage, attempts at assimilation and mass assassination, and shifts in federal policies from forced sterilization to constructions of Nations within states. This includes a chronology and new study questions along with lists of suggested reading from each entry. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)