Buffalo Bill's Wild West Argumentative Analysis

As the United States population grew and whites continued to seize land from the American Indians, these Indians had to either adapt to these whites’ way of life or be isolated from all their traditional ways of living and be left to fend for themselves. In the nineteenth century, many commentators believed that these American Indians would find difficulty with modernization and adaptation. While this belief proved to be false, there are many sources that could possibly argue in favor of these commentators’ arguments. As more immigrants infiltrated the United States from Europe, there came an increased support for education in an attempt to establish cultural values that were shared by the majority of citizens. Americanization policies stated
that once American Indians learned these policies, they would be able to integrate their own tribal traditions as long as they remain peaceful with the rest of society. However, after the Indian Wars of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the government prohibited the practice of all traditional religious ceremonies, leaving the American Indians to again be forced to adapt to the American way of life. Half of the sources argue that American Indians will not be able to adapt to the American way of life, while the other half argues that American Indians are continuing to modernize; the latter of these two is correct because Americanization and other laws forced these American Indians to integrate themselves with the majority of the American population, otherwise it would be likely that they would not survive. “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” drawing and the ranking of civilization written by Lewis Henry Morgan both seem to support the argument that American Indians will not be able to conform to the whites’ society and community and will be left to fend for their own survival.
“Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” depicts what seems to be an entire tribe of American Indians on horseback charging towards an enemy. On the other side of the picture is “Buffalo Bill” sitting calmly and peacefully atop his horse. This drawing seems to attack the American Indian way of life and represent them as a warlike people. The Indians on horseback are carrying guns, which some may argue is an example of the Indians modernizing and adapting to American life. However, guns are meant to be used for protection, and these American Indians are clearly using the guns as a means of enhancing their warring tendencies on neighboring nations. The ranking of civilization written by Lewis Henry Morgan also seems to support the idea that American Indians will not be able to adapt to the culture and traditions of citizens of the United States. In his source, Morgan ranks different American Indian tribes and regions based on their level of sophistication in comparison to the northern Europeans. None of these American Indian tribes ranked above the level of “Middle Status of Barbarism”, while the northern Europeans were ranked at “Civilization.” These rankings clearly suggest that Morgan believes that American Indians will be
unable to adapt to the white man’s method of living because all American Indians would have to make and use iron tools, create their own system of writing, and function as a stationary and stable society with strong economic and political spheres. However, Morgan made this ranking before allowing opportunity for the American Indians to begin their assimilation into American life and culture. While half of the sources suggested that American Indians would be unable to adapt, the other half of the sources suggested that American Indians were already in the process of adapting to the American way of life. “Touring Indian Country” mentioned that the extinction of the buffalo species has somewhat forced American Indians to adapt to other ways of life in order to survive. The author of this piece, the Northern Pacific Railroad, mentions that there are Indians living along the railroad in Yellowstone Valley that are moving towards agricultural and industrial production. The Northern Pacific Railroad tells of American Indians who are raising crops as well as cattle and horses. The author also mentions that many American Indian women are also skilled on the sewing machine, which was a modern tool at that time. This source gives clear examples of American Indians learning to modernize their old traditions in order to survive and fit in with American citizens. The photograph of Joe Black Fox taken by Gertrude Kasebier also testifies to the idea that American Indians were beginning their adaptation to American life. Joe Black Fox is depicted with a cigarette in hand, which was a more modern version of the pipes that Indians typically use to smoke. Joe Black Fox also toured with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, which proved that she was not against the white man’s ideas for making money in showmanship. This source also attests to the idea that American Indians were able to assimilate themselves among American life. While some of the sources argued that American Indians would not be able to adapt to the American way of life, it is clear that these Indians began to modernize in order to survive.
Americanization policies said that indigenous peoples (American Indians) could continue practicing some of their own traditions as long as they have learned and become assimilated with American culture. This provided motivation for the American Indians to become educated with the American way of life. However, after the Indian Wars, the government outlawed the practice of these traditions and established Native American boarding schools that children obligated to attend. The children attending these schools were required to speak English, study the same subjects as American students, attend church ceremonies regularly, and leave behind their own traditional practices. This action forced American Indian children to assimilate themselves with American culture because they had no choice other than to do so. It also led to the gradual increased Americanization of each generation because as American Indian practices were outlawed, they became less common among the American Indian population. The Dawes Act of 1887 gave land to individual American Indians in return for these American Indians becoming United States citizens and giving up some of their traditional tribal leadership and institutions. This acted as a bribe for American Indians; they could have their own land as long as they assimilate
further into American life. Clearly, American Indians were able to integrate themselves into American life and culture in order to survive with minimal conflict. Half of the sources argued that American Indians would be unable to adapt to ordinary American life, but this idea was proven wrong from the other half of the sources as well as numerous acts and policies enforced during that time. Today, the assimilation of American Indian culture continues in a different way. American students across the country are educated in the culture and way of life of American Indians. This represents an even greater integration because the American people are willing to learn and welcome foreign ideas and culture, which makes American Indians much more willing to share their traditions. As shown, American Indians were able to make themselves a part of American life in order to survive and keep some of their own traditions alive.