Indigenous Peoples of North America

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Indigenous Peoples of North America
Groups of native people lived on the North American continent long before they were discovered by European explorers. They often associated together by their common language and culture. These natives have been known as Indians, American Indians, Native Americans, the native races of North America, and other similar terms. Original records and books about them may be listed or cataloged under any or all of these terms.

Almost none of the American Indian groups had a written language. Most of the early records regarding them were created and preserved by individuals and governments dealing with the natives.

The Native Americans used oral history methods to preserve their history and culture.

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Did you know
There are many depositories of the records of the Indians of North America. The National Archives of the United States in Washington D.C., its several regional archives, the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, the Oklahoma Historical Society in Oklahoma City, the Public Archives of Canada in Ottawa are but a few of the archives or libraries with very substantial holdings of American Indian records. Many of these facilities have copies of records also found elsewhere. But each of these record custodians also has records unique to their facility.

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Research Tools
It is important to identify the name of the tribe to which an ancestor may have belonged, before trying to establish a connection to Native American ancestry. Most of the records are arranged either by tribal name or by locality of residence.

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By Province
Nearly every province or territory of Canada have tribes currently residing in them or have historically had tribes within their borders. Provincial or territorial Indian pages will be compiled and will provide information about the tribes that have resided within the province or territory. These pages have not yet been prepared.

By State
Nearly all of the states of the United States have tribes currently residing in them or have historically had tribes within their borders. The state Indian pages provide information about the tribes that have resided within a state, this includes the Indian reservations, Bureau of Indian Affairs agencies, Indian schools, health facilities, and other facts about the Indian groups associated with that state.

By Tribe
The federal government of the United States recognizes some 562 tribal entities, including nearly 300 villages and groups in Alaska. In addition, there are many variations on the names of the tribes. Some tribes have changed their names or have become extinct.

An alphabetical a list of Indigenous Tribes of the United States is available.