American Indians have many contributions to American (and world) culture. They gave America (and the world) many varieties of plants with medicinal value. American Indians were also the first people to cultivate approximately three-fourths of the varieties of plants on which many of our foods are based.Additionally, one of the largest contributions of American Indians to American civilization is the signing of treaties with the American government, where they gave they gave up their homelands.American Indians also have made numerous contributions in the United States military, and they have had the highest number per capita of any group serving in the American military. American Indians were an integral part of the war efforts of the United States.
An estimated 12,000 American Indians served in the U.S. Military during World War I.In the time of George Washington, their skill of scouting the enemy was recognized, and thus they served as scouts for George Washington. They also served in the military during World Wars I and II, and in military conflicts involving Korea, Vietnam, and Panama.American Indians also made significant contributions during World War II, during which they again fought, with over 44,000 American Indians (over 12 percent of their population) serving in the U.
S. military.During this time, when the Japanese attacked pearl harbor in 1941, the United States responded, and with the rest of the U.S., the American Indians swiftly responded as well.
Over 40,000 also went to work in factories and in other industries related to the war effort. They also invested over $50 million in war bonds.Today there are more than 100,000 American Indian military war veterans.ReferencesNative Americans in the United States. (2006, June 6).
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 6, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.
php?title=Native_Americans_in_the_United_States&oldid=57237957.20th Century Warriors: Native American Participation in the United States Military. (2005, June 13). Department of the Navy – Naval Historical Center. Retrieved June 6, 2006, from http://www.history.
navy.mil/faqs/faq61-1.htm.American Indians in World War II. American Forces Information Service.
Retrieved June 6, 2006, from http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/nativeamerican01/wwii.html.
