The term Native American is a common term we used to describe the people who were here when European explorers arrived. The term Indian appeared when explorers thought they had landed in the “Indies” of the Asian continent. Today, we call the native people of this country Native Americans, even though they don't consider themselves that group. You see, Native Americans prefer to be identified by their tribes, for example Apache, Cherokee, Shoshone, and Cheyenne. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The Apache people are said to come from Alaska and Canada and are considered close relatives of the Navajos. The ancestors of the Apache arrived here in the United States sometime after the 14th century and before 1540. They eventually settled in the Four Corners and faced severe political and economic disruption. These disturbances came from the Spanish explorers first, then from the Camacnhe tribe later. In the early 1700s, the Comanche tribe was devastating many Apache settlements and the situation did not improve from there. In 1886, after Geronimo's defeat, many Apaches became prisoners of war and were shipped to several American states. Modern-day Apaches can be found in Oklahoma, Arizona, and New Mexico, with a population of 30,000. The ancestors of the Cherokee tribe date back to approximately 800-1600 AD in Georgia, United States. For much of the 18th century, the Cherokee tribes were actually close allies of the British who were here in the United States. In this alliance, there was much trading of European tools, weapons, and other technology in exchange for deer hides. During the Seven Years' War, the Cherokees sent 1,000 warriors to help the British drive out the French in Ohio, but the American Revolution was a little different. During the American Revolution, the Cherokees were divided into two, one on the British side and the other on the American side. In the early 1800s, the Cherokees were driven out by the state of Georgia and the Trail of Tears became a harsh reality. Today, the Cherokee population numbers 300,000, residing primarily in Oklahoma. The Shoshone tribe, also called the Shoshoni tribe, originally lived in the Great Basin and Great Plains. The Shoshone tribe is closely related to the Comanche, Ute, and Paiute Indians. By the 18th century, the Shoshone were outgunned and outgunned by other tribes with guns and horses. The Shoshone were pushed south from the northern plains. In the 1840s, the Shoshone tribe was decimated by smallpox and other diseases spread by white settlers moving into their territory. In 1939, the Shashone territory shrank from 5 states to 1/20th of its original size! Today, their population is approximately 10,000 inhabitants spread across Nevada, Idaho and Wyoming. The Cheyenne tribe was one of the largest tribes on the Plains. They hunted mainly on the hills and meadows and called themselves “Tsitsistas”. Before the 1600s, they lived in permanent settlements in log houses. During the 1600s, they emigrated due to conflicts with neighboring tribes. In the 1700s, they were hunters, gatherers and nomads. They acquired horses from the Spanish and continued to move due to the conflict. In the 1860s, they began attacking camps, convoys and anything of value. Many battles took place subsequently, such as the Sand Creek Massacre/