The story of the Native Americans – or the American Indians – is unique, tragic and inspiring. It is unique because the Indians were the original inhabitants of the American continent and experienced every phase of its European settlement. It is tragic because the conflict between the Indians and white people was parallel to the process of coming in contact with other industrialized societies. It is an inspiring story because the Native Americans, although lost much of their land in the 19th century, have survived, have defended their political and economic rights, and have succeeded in saving their identity and culture despite the knocks of modern civilization. Today the Native Americans are full citizens of the United States. They are proud of their own cultural treasure, which they are trying to protect and maintain. Marks of that treasure can be found all over the United States. Many of the proper names on the map of the United States – Massachusetts, Ohio, Michigan, Kansas – are Indian words. The Indians taught the Europeans how to cultivate crops such as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, tobacco. About half of the Indians in the United States live in large cities and rural areas throughout the country. The rest of them live in about 300 federal reservations (land set for their use). Today, there are about 1,4 million Native Americans, which is believed to be more than there were when the first European explorers arrived in the New World. True or False? 1. The story of the Native Americans is one of the funniest in the history of the mankind. 2. The Indians were the original inhabitants of the American continent. 3. The Native Americans have managed to retain their identity and culture. 4. It's almost impossible to find any marks of the Indians' culture in the USA nowadays. 5. Today all Indians live in federal reservations.