As in most everything, it is the victors that write the history. So then, when the western hemisphere of the Americas, was discovered and thereupon developed by those Europeans that crossed the vast Atlantic ocean, beginning in the late 15th century, they so discovered that this was a vast continent, consisting of North, Central, and South America, previously unknown by that European people. This American continent was populated by the indigenous people that made up that continent, but since it was not those indigenous people that sailed that Atlantic Ocean to Europe, and thereupon "discovered" Europe, but rather it was the other way around, this thus made those Europeans the "discoverers" of that continent. Further to the point, while the Europeans that sailed across that ocean were vastly outnumbered by those indigenous people, they brought with them powerful instruments of war, in addition to their superior overall knowledge and learning in regards to mathematics, language, reading, writing, science, and jurisprudence. This thus meant that the indigenous people, rightly or wrongly, for the most part, recognize these Europeans as being in significant ways, more advanced than them.
Additionally, the mindset of the Europeans was that the people that made up the lands of the Americas, were considered to be heathen, pagans, and the like, of which therefore it was the European right as well as its duty to civilized that which was considered to be uncivilized, through whatever means those Europeans best saw fit. The intent, was never to work in conjunction with the native peoples, but was always about either assimilation, at best, or the conquering of those native peoples. Further to the point, there was a Papal Decree thereupon issued in 1493, which basically built the template of what became known as the Doctrine of Discovery. That doctrine, enforced by the European monarchies, signified under the aegis of Christianity, but really under the guise of such, that Europe would be the masters of these newfound lands, of which, the legacy of the American continent, is proof positive that this is indeed what happened.
So then, to the dismay of indigenous peoples throughout the western hemisphere, their land, no longer was their land, and their self-determination was no longer their determination, but they became in most aspects, a conquered peoples, with their lands and livelihood torn asunder from their hands. This meant that indigenous peoples did not have a meaningful voice in the government foisted upon them, and they were subsequently shunted aside, killed, divided, suffered unduly from European illnesses, or were forcefully removed onto barren reservations, and thereby left with little resources to sustain themselves.
As they say, to the victors go the spoils, of which, many a people have lost their lands and their identity not fully comprehending that a battle once commenced , warranted or not, understood or not, formal or not, will result in there being only one victor. So too, as the Doctrine of Discovery, led the Europeans to claim the western hemisphere as their own; recognize that the same general principle is applicable to any one nation that conquers another, of which the most basic point of going to war, is to take, usually unjustly, from one people what is theirs, to thereby reap their wealth and riches as your own without having properly paid, earned or labored for such. All of the above basically signifying, that he who wields the biggest sword in the most effective manner, fair or foul, is he who wins.