Effects of Colonization on North American Indians Since Europeans set foot on North American soil in 1620, they have had an effect devastating on the indigenous population. I will discuss the long-term effects of North American colonization on Native Americans, focusing on issues such as employment opportunities, the environment, culture and traditions, health, and social justice. I will start with the important issue of employment opportunities. . The unemployment rate for Native Americans is a staggering 49%. The following reasons explain why the unemployment rate is so high. To begin with, the media (like movies) have portrayed Native Americans as primitive and hostile, when in reality it is quite the opposite. This created a negative image of Native Americans in American society, which obviously reduced their chances of finding employment. Another reason is the problem of discrimination, which does not arise so much today, but in the past many employers were reluctant to hire a Native American because of their skin color as well as their culture and beliefs. Additionally, most Native Americans have a much more cultural but different skill base, so they have not learned many of the skills needed to work professionally in Western society. Native Americans have always had an immediate and dependent relationship with their environment. Before the arrival of Europeans, the pristine environment was used by Native Americans as a food source as well as a traditional place for healing. They cultivated the land, were expert hunters and fishermen, skilled artisans, and created and supported self-sufficient communities. All this happened centuries before the arrival of Europeans. Since colonization... middle of paper ... life, but also taking it. Today, Native Americans are dying from diabetes, alcoholism, tuberculosis, suicide and other health problems at staggering rates. Compared to Anglo-Americans, they have a much higher mortality rate and the situation is not improving. Native Americans are among the most disadvantaged and poorest. They suffer from the worst health conditions, receive the fewest educational and employment opportunities, are treated unfairly by society, have had their culture and traditions significantly ruined, and have had their much-loved environment destroyed. It is the result of colonization, disease and expulsion from their country by European settlers. It took them only three centuries to destroy a culture that had existed for over 20,000 years, and although many groups try to regain their cultural identity, it will never be the same again..