re: Before The White Man Arrived

Read a legitimate history book

Many Native American tribes embraced a warrior culture as a societal construct. Many also did not. However, the ones who embraced it used it as a way to attain honors for the young males as an accepted method to attain status in the tribe.

Actual killing of enemy tribe Braves was typically frowned upon within their own tribe. Counting coup (actually getting close enough in battle to touch the enemy) was the one way to achieve honors. It demonstrated courage. Captured enemy Braves were typically taken as slaves.....not murdered. This was another way to achieve honors. Furthermore, most of the captured Braves eventually became integrated into the capturing tribe as adopted members. Among Plains tribes, stealing ponies was yet another way to achieve status. Nevertheless, savagery akin to murder was frowned upon. It happened on occasion but was not the culture.

After conflict with the white man became a universal Native American struggle with differing rules of engagement than they had historically practiced, they learned that killing the enemy was the only way to save their culture. They had to, out of necessity, fight under the European idea of war.....or perish. Even so, they were unable to win.

The best one Ive read is called "How", but just watch Dances with Wolves and that'll suffice

They did. They crossed that little land bridge that used to connect Alaska to Russia