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'''American Indians''' are the descendants of the inhabitants of [[North America|North]] and [[South America]] before the coming of [[Europe]]ans in 1492. As an ethnic group, they are indigenous to the Americas.  

'''American Indians''' are the descendants of the inhabitants of [[North America|North]] and [[South America]] before the coming of [[Europe]]ans in 1492.  

They are believed to have descended from [[Asia|Asians]] who crossed the [[Bering Straight|Bering land bridge]] during the last [[Ice Age]].  According to [[evolutionary theory]] and [[radiocarbon dating]], this took place as early as 20,000 years ago.<ref name="who">TIME - Who Were The First Americans?, By MICHAEL D. LEMONICK, ANDREA DORFMAN, Sunday, Mar. 05, 2006  [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1169905,00.html]</ref>  

They are believed to have descended from [[Asia|Asians]] who crossed the [[Bering Straight|Bering land bridge]] during the last [[Ice Age]].  According to archeological evidence, this took place as early as 20,000 years ago.<ref name="who">TIME - Who Were The First Americans?, By MICHAEL D. LEMONICK, ANDREA DORFMAN, Sunday, Mar. 05, 2006  [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1169905,00.html]</ref>  

Those who are only partly descended from those early inhabitants are still considered American Indians if they maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment. However, each Native tribe or band makes its own rulings regarding membership.

Those who are only partly descended from those early inhabitants are still considered American Indians if they maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment. However, each Indian tribe or band makes its own rulings regarding membership.

Some American Indians prefer to be called [[Native American]]s in order to distinguish themselves from the people of [[India]], and to emphasize that they were the original inhabitants of North America. The oldest American skeleton is [[Kennewick Man]], found in 1996 and judged by [[radiocarbon dating]] to be over 9000 years old. Kennewick Man was at first said to be unlike present day Native Americans. However further research has demonstrated that this is not the case. <ref name="who" />

A few American Indians prefer to be called [[Native American]]s in order to distinguish themselves from the people of [[India]], and to emphasize that their North America ancestry. The oldest American skeleton is [[Kennewick Man]], found in 1996 and judged by [[radiocarbon dating]] to be over 9000 years old. Kennewick Man was said to be unlike present day Native Americans, but there is some controversy about that.<ref name="who" />

During the [[American Civil War]], many Indian tribes supported the [[Confederacy]], on the grounds that they had been betrayed by the U.S. government.

During the [[American Civil War]], many Indian tribes supported the [[Confederacy]], on the grounds that they were against the U.S. government.

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