In old Hollywood movies, “Indians” were silent and serious-faced. They had feathers in their hair and weapons in their hands, ready to fight. But the true history and culture of America’s native people may surprise you. American Indians come from hundreds of different tribes, each with its own culture and language. Not all were soldiers. Many lived peacefully. American society still includes many of these tribes and their cultures. Two million American Indians live in the U. S. today.And their influence can be found all over the country. No one knows the exact origin of the American Indians. Many believe they arrived in North America thousands of years ago. They may have come from northeast Asia, crossing the Bering Strait（白令海峡）into North America. By the time European explorers arrived, an estimated 2 to 10 million natives had lived in America. Thousands of Europeans came to America in the 17th and 18th centuries. The American Indians saved many white newcomers’ lives. They taught them how to hunt, grow food, and live in harmony with nature. As white settlers spread across the continent, however, conflicts arose. American Indians thought of nature as something to use, enjoy and protect. Europeans saw nature as something to own and a source of things to buy and sell. As the white population grew, the settlers began taking land from the American Indians, They forced them to give up their homes, languages and customs. The American Indians fought back. Some revenged by killing white people or burning their homes. But soon white people outnumbered the American Indians.