An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz Summary
Overview of An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States
Discover America's untold story through Indigenous eyes - a New York Times Bestseller that transformed HBO into "Exterminate All the Brutes." Robin Kelley calls it "probably the most important US history book you will read in your lifetime." What founding myths is your education hiding?
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Key takeaways
Reframing America's Origin Story
The story of the United States we've been taught is fundamentally incomplete. Far from being a tale of pioneering settlers taming an empty wilderness, America's true history is one of sophisticated Indigenous civilizations being systematically displaced through calculated violence. Before European arrival, North America was home to advanced societies with complex agricultural systems, extensive trade networks, and sophisticated governance structures. Approximately 40 million people lived in North America alone-nearly as many as Europe's 50 million-thriving on healthy diets centered around the "three sisters" of corn, beans, and squash. These weren't scattered tribes in untamed wilderness but nations that actively shaped the landscape. They used controlled burns to create what European observers likened to "English parks," developed continent-spanning road networks, and practiced advanced agriculture. The Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) had created a constitutional democracy where women held significant political power-clan mothers controlled the selection of male representatives and retained the right to recall them. What makes this history so challenging is recognizing that the genocide of Indigenous peoples wasn't an unfortunate byproduct of "progress" but the application of already-developed techniques of conquest. The European colonizers brought with them a culture of violence refined through earlier colonizations of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. When we understand these historical patterns, we see that America's founding wasn't exceptional-it was the continuation of colonial practices that transformed land from sacred space into private property and commodified human beings through slavery.
The Machinery of Conquest
War as National Policy
The Trail of Tears and Beyond
Resistance and Reclamation
America's Unresolved Colonial Legacy
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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