Page 5 - Were Native Americans the Victims of Genocide?

and even to the cities along the coast. “Stories of real,
News of massacres, scalpings, torture, exaggerated, and
and capture were common, even if there imaginary atrocities
was not always evidence to support these spread by word of
accounts. As Guenter Lewy writes, “Sto- mouth, in narratives
ries of real, exaggerated, and imaginary of imprisonment,
atrocities spread by word of mouth, in nar- and by means
ratives of imprisonment, and by means of of provincial
39
provincial newspapers.” It was enough, newspapers.” 39
he claims, to have convinced many mili- — Political science professor
tary leaders to give no quarter to Indians Guenter Lewy
who were suspected of such foul deeds.

Eradicating the Iroquois
In 1779 George Washington, who was then general of the Conti-
nental army, ordered General John Sullivan to wage war against
the Iroquois. He told Sullivan that his objective was “the total
destruction and devastation of their settlements, and the cap-
ture of as many prisoners of every age and sex as possible.” He
said he expected Sullivan to carry out his mission “in the most

Members of the Iroquois Confederacy resisted the
Europeans’ push westward and began raiding colonial
settlements. Soon after, George Washington, general of
the Continental Army, waged war against the Iroquois.