This study is an historical overview of Indian-white relations in the United States and Canada. Despite the grim similarity of circumstances endured by most Native peoples, the trajectory and extent of changes for those living in the United States and Canada have been quite different at times. Such divergence in historical experiences has shaped the present; the challenges and opportunities for Native peoples in both countries today, while broadly comparable, also differ in some fundamental respects.

Drawing upon a vast array of primary and secondary sources, Roger Nichols traces the changing relationships between Native peoples and whites, from colonial times to the present.

Usefully dividing the history of Indian-white relations into five stages - beginning with Native supremacy over European settlers and concluding with their political, economic, and cultural resurgence during the later twentieth century - Nichols carefully compares and contrasts the effects of each stage on Native peoples in both countries. This method of inquiry enables readers to grasp readily the complexity and range of experiences for Native peoples.