Colorado Resolution on Native American Genocide:

The definition of genocide, as presented in the document, is the purposeful murder or damage of members of a group or affiliation. It is for this reason that I believe the use of the word "genocide" is accurate for this resolution. There are multiple examples of intentional murder in the document. One example is that many Indians' deaths were intentionally caused by the breaking of treaties between themselves and the U.S. Government, as seen in the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864. Another example is that European immigrants created a myth to separate Native Indians from the idea of humanity, and thus alienate them. This is also an element of genocide. A third example is the forced removal of the vast majority of the Cherokee Nation from their homelands in the middle of winter, forcefully killing those 4,00 who didn't live through the harsh relocation. For all the tragedies to befall the Native American Indians, it is accurate to describe their suffering as genocide as much of it was caused by the American Government and was intentional.