"From Removal to Reservation"

The chapter i read was primarily discussing how the different tribes were removed from their homes and cheated out of what’s rightfully theirs. The tribes Choctaw and Cherokee gave me a totally different outlook on the past and how things were dealt with. There was a part in the story where the Cherokee had no say in what was happening, but the whites portrayed themselves as being equal. "It was not "sanctioned by the great body of the Cherokee," and was made "without their participation or assent (p.95)." Indians were taken advantage of many times because their lack of education. The whites were making treaties one sided, so it would always favor them. If the whites even bothered to help the Native Americans they (Indians) were expected to give their lawyers, which were white, more money than they can keep for themselves.  When i was reading i remembered a movie called "Dances with Wolves". That’s one of my all-time favorite movies. The reason i was connected through the reading to the movie is because it was the first encounter i had with actually seeing how Native Americans and Whites met. There's obviously more than meets the eye, but at a young age everything had an impact on me. Why as Americans do we submit to only looking out for ourselves rather than coming together? Why do we have signs right in front of us but still ignore them because we want the upper hand? All i know is that we are still fighting wars within ourselves to this day that were started hundreds of years ago.

Autobiography

My name is Armani Peterson and I was born at Victory Hospital in Waukegan on August 17, 1991. I am black, white, and Native American. My mom's name is Ann Peterson and my dad’s name is Adonis Peterson. I have two sisters named Asia and Tiara. I and Asia grew apart but I and Tiara are close to this day. I grew up the first ten years with both of my parents in the household then they divorced.  I lived in Gurnee, Illinois for two years then moved to Zion, Illinois. I'm very multi-talented. I played basketball, band, sing, and did acting growing up. I spent my whole life in Zion from grade school to high school. I started off a Christian school where the teachers thought i was too wild to be moved a grade higher.

 At Newport and that is where i learned many traits. Then for sixth through eighth grade i went to Beach Park Middle School. For high school, i went to Zion-Benton and played football for my first year and strictly basketball for all four years. My junior year my basketball team took second in state.  My favorite colors are red and for short people call me Mani. For a hobby I enjoy playing basketball and hanging out with friends. I stayed in Zion Went to a Christian school when i was in kindergarten. All of those experiences led me to Wisconsin- Parkside University. I'm now a sophomore but undecided my major so whatever i choose i plan on being successful.

My race defines me as who I am. Without the tragic and disaster in the past, I wouldn’t be here. I’m not sure of how I am mixed with different ethnicities. To be all honest my ancestors could have been raped and that’s how I evolved. I don’t try to think of the past but look at the future; because that’s something I can change.