| Term | Definition |
| American Indian | Someone having a parent or grandparent who is an American Indian |
| Citizen | Member of a nation |
| European | Person from a country on the continent of Europe |
| Govern | Make rules for |
| Government | Group of people who makes rules for the nation |
| Nation | Large group of people in an area who are organized under one government |
| native | Person born in a certain place or country |
| Native | If capitalized, refers to American Indian |
| Reservation | Land reserved for Indians |
| Sovereign | A nation that can govern itself |
| Treaty | An agreement between the U.S. government and an Indian tribe |
| Tribe | Sovereign Indian nation |