What was the reasoning in killing off the Native American people?

[caspar99]

Two studies have been conducted that attempt to number the natives killed by the United States. The first of these was sponsored by the United States government, and while official does not stand up to scrutiny and is therefore discounted (generally); this estimate shows between 1 million to 4 million killed. The second study was not sponsored by the US Government but was done from independent researchers. This study estimated populations and population reductions using later census data. Two figures are given, both low and high, at: between 10 million and 114 million Indians as a direct result of US actions. Please note that Nazi Holocaust estimates are between 6 and 11 million; thereby making the Nazi Holocaust the 2nd largest mass murder of a class of people in history.
REF:
American Holocaust: D. Stannard (Oxford Press, 1992) - "over 100 million killed" "[Christopher] Columbus personally murdered half a million Natives"
God, Greed and Genocide: The Holocaust Through the Centuries: Grenke (New Academia Publishing 2006)
Holocaust: Critical Concepts in Historical Studies: Cesarani, (Routledge 2004)

[weiford]

Divide and conquer. It was the mentality of the times, everyone was out to claim whatever land they could. America was perceived as a nation full of wealth because of the land, and the settlers didn't want to share. They perceived the natives as "savage" because their lifestyles were more primitive, and held no monetary concept. "Because we can take it, we will."

[burt]

We have guns, you have land, We want land
btw you are subhuman because we said so.

[taillefer]

The answer is very simple:

They were in the way.

They would fight for their land and Europeans wanted their land, so the Europeans either tried to confine them to specific areas or just get rid of them. And many were simply married into white families and assimilated into white society that way. Millions of Americans have native ancestry but aren't part of a tribe.

[dacy17]

Both Russia and China have bigger mass murder numbers then the Holocaust. Most of the Native Americans died from Europeans diseases, not murder. And the reason for war with the Native Americans is because some Americans at the time did not see them as people, but as savages and animals who occupied land that they felt was theirs to rule. But history is full of conquerors, it is human nature, and it will happen again.

[leland]

Greed. Pure and simple.

They never saw us as "people". We don't count. And that is sadly still the attitude even today.
Look at this:
http://dgrnewsservice.org/2012/02/12/court-rules-that-ski-resort-can-violate-sacred-mountains-with-wastewater-snow/

And ask your congressman why the new "violence against women" act has a clause in it that specifically excludes it from protecting native american women? (especially since 1 in 3 native women is assaulted by a non-native man) Don't believe me? google it.