摘要：

印第安人不仅是美洲的土著民族，同时也是北美洲最古老的统治者，因此其被称作是真正的美洲人。在与自然进行抗争的时期，印第安人积累了多方面的经验，同时创造了属于印第安人的文明。但如今，印第安人的生存现状令人堪忧。印第安人现在无法享受平等的人权，虽然同样是生活在美洲大陆上，美国如今已成为世界上的超级大国，而印第安文明却趋近消亡。以史为鉴，可以治兴替。本论文将会通过对印第安的起源，发展，兴盛以及衰落的原因的分析，从中探究出其对现代社会发展的启示，以此指导现代社会对待传统文化要有正确的态度。

关键词：印第安文化；传统；人权；启示

Abstract:

Indians are called the only real Americans, for which is not only the indigenous people of America, but also the oldest masters of North America. In a period of struggling with the nature, Indians accumulate all aspects of experience, and create their own culture. It is a long time that American Indians create a great civilization. However, with the social development, the status of Indians’ survival is worrying for they can not enjoy basic and equal human rights as other races. Although they still live in American continent as Americans, and America now is super-power in the world, Indian culture nearly dies out. Based on history, this paper tries to analyze Indian origin, development and causes that lead to the current situation, from which the paper draws the enlightenment on modern society that it is essential to hold correct attitude to traditional culture.

Key words: Indian culture; tradition; human rights; enlightenment

1. Introduction
1.1 Purpose of the study
Indians are called the only real Americans, because they are not only the indigenous people of America, but also the oldest masters of North America. In a period of struggling with the nature, Indians accumulate all aspects of experience, and create their own culture. It is a long time that American Indians create a great civilization. However, with the social development, Columbus ever been to Columbia coast in 1498, and a discovery of America is generally referred to Columbus. Gradually, more and more Europeans come to American constituent to plunder the resources belonging to American Indians. As a result, North America becomes the colony of Britain. Colonizing North America is one part that Britain explored other places in European history and the inevitable process of human being’s development. The colony that Britain made in the world created advanced and rational American civilization; meanwhile, it also led to a bad result that Indians having thousands years of isolated civilization nearly died out.