1776 - 21st century - Indian Sovereignty

         Sovereignty is an underlying legal condition of nationhood, usually predicated on the idea that a self-governing society has the ability to conduct and manage its own affairs, to make and wage war if necessary, and the legal standing to engage in treaty making. click here for more

           All federally recognized Indian nations are considered to be sovereign.  Each Indian nation enjoys a special trust relationship with the federal government of the United States.  The U.S. Congress is charged, as a guarantor to Indian nations, with safeguarding their rights and resources.