The first peoples are not only part of the past. Native nations are still here today, and Native Americans live in every state.
Key idea
Native nations have their own governments, leaders, languages and traditions. In 2026 the United States government lists 575 tribes.
Why it works
Native nations governed themselves long before the United States began. Many of them still have their own councils and leaders, their own laws and courts, and their own flags. Some families live on land the nation holds, called a reservation; many others live in towns and cities. Children learn their nation's language and stories, and families gather for ceremonies, dances and powwows.
Common mistake
Some children talk about Native Americans only in the past, as if they were gone. Native nations live, govern themselves and keep their traditions today. Your classmates, neighbors or teachers may be members of one.
For the grown-up: The Navajo Nation has the largest reservation, about 27,000 square miles across Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Look up which Native nations live, or once lived, where you live.