The Apache: A History from Beginning to Present

The Apache became one of the best-known of all Native American peoples mainly because they were astonishingly capable guerilla fighters. They fought other Native American tribes, Spanish invaders, the authorities of the new state of Mexico and, from the mid-nineteenth century, increasing numbers of American settlers and soldiers. Under chiefs such as Cochise and Geronimo, they waged wars that struck fear into every new culture they encountered.

It is the image of the Apache as bold and fearless warriors that has become embedded in popular culture through countless movies, television shows, and books. Yet the truth is that the Apache were far more than fighters. Their culture and society were unique, based on a philosophical approach to the environment and the animals that inhabited it that was completely different from most European incomers. Like many other Native American peoples, the Apache suffered as the United States expanded and claimed new territory across North America. They may have been effective warriors, but they were unable to resist as growing numbers of settlers supported by the US Army were drawn into the West.

By the late nineteenth century, there were fewer than 8,000 Apache people remaining. Somehow, they survived, and their numbers rebounded; by 2020, more than 140,000 people in the United States identified themselves as Apache. This is the fascinating, complex, and sometimes tragic story of the Apache.

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Lydbog: 1. september 2026