An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States Review

The book emphasizes that advanced and sophisticated civilizations existed in the Americas long before European colonization. These included not only well-known civilizations like the Aztecs and Maya but also North American groups such as the Anasazi, Cahokia, and various Native American confederacies like the Iroquois and Powhatan, who practiced advanced farming and a matrilineal society.

Dunbar Ortiz argues that European colonists, particularly the English in North America, were inherently imperialists and settler conquerors. Regardless of their stated intentions, they viewed Native Americans as an obstacle to be removed, leading to widespread violence and the doctrine of discovery, which justified their claim to indigenous lands.

The colonial frontier, stretching across various American landscapes, is depicted as 'the edge of genocide'. American settlers, even after the American Revolution, were re-labeled as colonial settlers who systematically attacked Native Americans, destroyed their food sources, broke treaties, and developed 'Ranger warfare'—a style of irregular warfare used to carry out intentional genocide.

The author challenges traditional American heroes and historical narratives, asserting that many prominent figures were complicit in or cheerleaders for genocide against Native Americans. Individuals like James Fenimore Cooper, Walt Whitman, William Tecumseh Sherman, Andrew Jackson, Daniel Boone, Zebulon Pike, and Davy Crockett are criticized for their roles in or promotion of the displacement and destruction of indigenous populations and cultures.

The review highlights Dunbar Ortiz's argument that the United States military developed part of its strategy, including the concept of 'total warfare' and attacks on civilians, from the 'Ranger warfare' practiced during the colonial period. This style of warfare is traced from George Rogers Clark's actions during the American Revolution to the Texas Rangers, Sherman's Civil War campaigns, the Philippine-American War, and even the Vietnam War's 'Search and Destroy' missions. The term 'in country' is suggested to originate from 'Indian country,' implying a lawless territory.

The book is praised for its historical service in challenging conventional American history and confronting the truth of genocide against indigenous peoples. While acknowledging the book's value in forcing a re-evaluation of American history, the reviewer notes two criticisms: its repetitive nature towards the end and Dunbar Ortiz's tendency to selectively cultivate and prune sources to support her arguments, suggesting it invites further academic discussion and challenges.