Philadelphia Business Daily

How would you contrast the beliefs of Native Americans regarding land ownership?

How would you contrast the beliefs of Native Americans regarding land ownership?

Public Comments

1. They believed that owning the land is like saying they own the air around them.
2. buffy the dragon slayer is right, they had no concept of private property
3. What are you "contrasting" the Native American beliefs against? You ask for a contrast but you didn't state the opposing side. For example, In contrast to the European belief of possession and ownership, Native American's did not consider the land as something that could be divided, bought or sold. The land was like a "mother" who provided for their needs. One cannot sell ones mother.
4. Native Americans believed land could not be owned, and what was used was used in common, not "reserved" or "purchased" by one individual. Because many Indians could not understand the concept of individual land ownership (they had never experienced it, so this is readily understandable in that context) and because of non-Indian deception by Federal troops and politicians, many Indian leaders were led to believe that their land was going to be "loaned" to, or "borrowed" by individuals offering treaties.