Centre George Gustav Hay, in southern Manhattan - a branch of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC. Tourists caught up in New York, it makes sense to look here: from the branch - a rich collection about the history of the original inhabitants of America.

Indians - an integral part of American history: the legendary pilgrims landed in 1620, the ship "Mayflower" at Plymouth rock, would not survive the first winter as heavy, if not for the help of the local tribe. These were people with a complex social structure. The Iroquois, who lived in the northern part of the future of the State of New York, have created something like the League of Nations - the political unification of the five major tribes. The Indians were skilled hunters and farmers.

The advent of the Europeans led to a sharp drop in the number of indigenous peoples. The main reason for that was unknown to the continent of disease - chicken pox, measles, malaria: against which the Indians had no immunity. Colonies, initially located on the east coast, sought to explore new ground - this led to an armed conflict with the Indians white. During the war for independence of the colonies became indigenous communities on either side of the colonists, or British, but increasingly sought to neutrality. At the beginning of the XIX century Indian tribes under the leadership of a great warrior Tecumseh tried to resist white expansion, but were defeated. After the Civil War, the Indians recognized as full citizens of the United States. The Second World War contributed to their integration into society: one-third of the able-bodied male Indians served in the armed forces of the country, gained the respect of his courage.

All this talk about 800 thousand exhibits: weapons, magnificent clothes, household items and art of the Indians. At the heart of the local collection is a collection of antiquarian George Gustav Hay, who for more than half a century traveled throughout the Americas, collecting everything connected with the natives of the New World.

The museum occupies two floors of a building US Customs behalf of Alexander Hamilton. It was built in 1907 by architect Cass Gilbert in the Beaux Arts. In front, overlooking the Bowling Green, sculptural groups symbolizing the four continents - America, Asia, Europe and Africa. In itself, the location of the museum is highly symbolic. It was here in 1626 was Fort Amsterdam, which is under the protection of Dutch colonists made a better deal by buying from Indian chiefs island of Manhattan for 60 guilders.