The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America

In the Prologue, King explicitly states that he does not intend to write a traditional book of history. How does The Inconvenient Indian differ from typical historiography, and how does this writing style help King make his arguments about the history of Indigenous-white relations?

In Chapter 9, King argues that relations between Indigenous and white people in North America can be boiled down to one key issue: “Whites want land” (216). Use examples of historical events from the book to analyze the role that land has played in the conflicts between Indigenous and white people.

In the past few decades, Indigenous reservations have begun embracing new industries, such as gambling and resource mining, to stimulate economic growth. In King’s view, how do these industries benefit tribes, and how do these industries threaten their livelihoods?

In Chapter 10 King discusses two land deals that represent “positive” developments in Indigenous-white relations: the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. How do these two deals differ in the ways they return land to Indigenous tribes? What competing values underlie their respective models for future land deals?

What was the goal of the assimilation policies created by the US and Canadian governments? Were these policies a successful way of dealing with Indigenous-white relations? How did assimilation impact the lives of Indigenous people?

Throughout The Inconvenient Indian, King mixes personal anecdotes with histories of Indigenous people. What role do these stories play in the book? How do these personal anecdotes help King convey his points about the treatment of Indigenous people in North America?

Why did King title his book The Inconvenient Indian? In what ways have Indigenous peoples been “inconvenient” to white North America?

How does King argue that apologies issued to Indigenous people by the US and Canadian governments are insufficient or unsatisfying? What are some more concrete ways in which these goverments can begin to make amends for their historical treatment of Indigenous peoples?