In 1789, first Secretary of War Henry Knox told President George Washington that Indian tribes ought to be considered as foreign nations, not as the subjects of any particular state.
Many feared citizenship would make them subject to state and local taxes, and that officials would use their power to take Native land and sell it to white ranchers, timber men, and farmers.
Native peoples fought and maneuvered to maintain their sovereignty, often viewing U.S. citizenship with ambivalence due to historical concerns about land and rights.
The Constitution gave Congress sole power to regulate commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with Indian Tribes, emphasizing their unique status.
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