Final answer:
The American Independence was mainly destructive for Native Americans, as it led to loss of lands, destruction of settlements, and declined sovereignty due to most tribes siding with the British to protect their territories from American expansion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Impact of American Independence on Native Americans
The American Independence had a significant impact on Native Americans, which was largely detrimental to their societies and territorial integrity. During the American Revolutionary War, many Native American tribes formed alliances with the British, fearing that an American victory would result in the loss of their lands. Key figures like Mohawk chief Thayendanegea supported the British, who had previously upheld policies like the Proclamation Line of 1763 to limit colonial expansion. Despite these alliances, revolutionary forces ravaged Native American settlements in regions such as western New York and Pennsylvania. In the aftermath, Native American representatives were excluded from peace negotiations, leading to substantial losses of land and autonomy.
Although some native peoples sided with the Americans, particularly in New England, the majority saw their best chance for safeguarding their territories with the British. However, the outcome of the war proved catastrophic for Native Americans. U.S. expansion continued, often violently, and neutrality or alliances mattered little as their lands were progressively encroached upon and seized by the new nation. The Revolutionary War's conclusion spelled a further decline in Native American sovereignty and control over their ancestral homelands.