Native Americans

Native Americans (pronunciation: /ˈneɪtɪv əˈmɛrɪkənz/), also known as American Indians, Indigenous Americans and other terms, are the indigenous peoples of the United States, excluding Hawaii and territories of the United States, and other minor islands.

Etymology

The term "Native American" was introduced in the United States in preference to the older term "Indian" to distinguish the indigenous peoples of the Americas from the people of India, and to denote their priority of residence in the North American continent.

Related Terms

Indigenous peoples: Groups protected in international or national legislation as having a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory, and their cultural or historical distinctiveness from other populations.
Tribal sovereignty in the United States: The inherent authority of indigenous tribes to govern themselves within the borders of the United States.
Reservation: A legal designation for an area of land managed by a federally recognized Native American tribe under the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Indian Health Service: An operating division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services responsible for providing federal health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives.