ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Native American self-determination

Hey kiddo, have you ever heard of Native Americans? They are the people who originally lived in North America before it was called that. They have a long history and culture that is unique to them.

Now, Native American self-determination is a really big word that means they get to make their own decisions about their lives and communities. This is really important because for a long time, many people didn't think Native Americans could make good choices for themselves.

But, in the 1970s, the US government realized that they were wrong and that Native Americans should be able to make decisions about their own land, resources and way of life. This means that Native American tribes have more control over their own affairs, just like how you get to make choices about your own toys and snacks.

So, imagine if you had a bunch of toys and you wanted to organize them in a certain way or share them with your friends. With self-determination, you would be allowed to make those choices on your own, without someone else telling you what to do.

For Native American communities, self-determination means they can take care of their own people and land, while still being a part of the larger United States. It helps preserve their culture and traditions, and allows them to have a say in decisions that affect their lives.

That's a simple explanation, but there's a lot more to learn about Native American self-determination and their rich history and culture.