The arrival of European explorers in 1492 marked the beginning of centuries of conflict and systematic decimation that would almost completely eliminate the Native American population. From the disease and violence of the early encounters with explorers, to the “Indian removal” policies the US government implemented to benefit white settlers, to the impact settlers themselves had on the land, tribal lives, lifestyles and cultures were destroyed to benefit the expansion of white claims to North America. The indigenous population declined from an estimated 12 million in 1500 to barely 237,000 in 1900, and Native American reservations continue today to be isolated and underserved.