apache vs u.s settlers

Zach Fort
History
9/1/14
Reading Response Of all of the perspectives given to me, I believe that the apache tribe had the most reasonable and justified perspective. The apache only resorted to violence when they were avenging a tribe member that was murdered, or when they were trying to defend themselves, unlike the settlers,O’odham tribe, Mexican Americans, and U.S government who would kill simply because they didn’t like them. The apache tribe had to act the way they did because they were in an “eat or be eaten” situation. The government would raid entire villages murdering men, women, and children. So the apache acted out of revenge to avenge the family members who were all murdered. Even though the apache tribe would try to run away, the O’odham tribe, Mexican Americans, settlers, or United States government would find them and attack them before they could settle down and grow crops. As a result, this led to the apache tribe forced to raid other villages and camps for food and supplies that they aren’t able to get for themselves. In conclusion I believe the apache tribes actions were forced upon them, and justified. If they could have had it the way they wanted to they would have left the land they were currently at and set up a new village somewhere peacefully. However no matter where they went they still had to fight for their life or avenge the innocent deaths that had occurred. I believe the apache tribe was the biggest victim out of all the options. Of all of the perspectives I believe the worst one was that of the United States settlers. They wanted the apache tribe dead simply because they believed they were savages, dishonest, and insolent. The settlers were angry with the government’s policy that wanted to move Native Americans peacefully and wanted them all to be killed instead. The United States settlers blamed the apache for all of the problems when really they were the ones causing it. Instead of settling in places where no Native Americans lived they came directly to take the land from them that they already owned for generations. I believe the apache could have kept their land and signed a peace treaty from the beginning because they did not want any violence it was all brought upon them. In conclusion, I believe the Apache tribe had the best perspective because they only resorted to violence when they were attacked first, and they only went on raids because they couldn’t grow their own crops without getting attacked or vandalized. Secondly I believe the United States settlers had the worst perspective because they were coming onto peoples land and taking it simply because they thought they were the superior race and thought they were better. I believe the apache had to act out of desperation to survive and the setters were acting out of selfishness.