* Proper nouns are specific names of people, places, or things. They are always capitalized. Examples include:
* People: John Smith, Queen Elizabeth
* Places: New York City, Mount Everest
* Things: The Eiffel Tower, The Declaration of Independence
* "Native Americans" is a general term referring to indigenous peoples of the Americas. It's not a specific name.
However, there are some exceptions:
* Specific tribes or nations: These are proper nouns and should be capitalized. For example: the Cherokee Nation, the Navajo people.
* If you are using the term as part of a formal name: For example, the "National Museum of the American Indian" would be capitalized because it's part of the official name.
In general, it's safest to use lowercase "Native Americans" when referring to the group as a whole.