---
title: "Executive Order 13007 | Native American History"
description: "Executive Order 13007 protects access to Indian sacred sites on federal land and requires agencies to consider tribal concerns in Native American History."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/native-american-history/key-terms/executive-order-13007"
type: "key-term"
subject: "Native American History"
unit: "Unit 11"
---

# Executive Order 13007 | Native American History

## Definition

Executive Order 13007 is a 1996 presidential order that tells federal agencies to protect access to Indian sacred sites and consult tribes in land decisions. In Native American History, it shows how sacred place, sovereignty, and federal land policy intersect.

## What It Is

Executive Order 13007 is a 1996 order from President Bill Clinton that tells federal agencies to protect access to Indian sacred sites on federal land. In Native American History, it comes up as one of the clearest examples of the federal government recognizing that land is not just property, it can also be a living religious and cultural place.

The order says agencies should consider how their decisions affect sacred sites and should avoid actions that block Native access when possible. That matters because many sacred places are on land controlled by the federal government, including areas managed for parks, forests, or other public use. Without a rule like this, a road project, mining plan, or building project could damage a site before tribes even get a chance to weigh in.

The term is especially tied to tribal consultation. Consultation means more than sending a notice letter. It means federal agencies are supposed to talk with tribal governments before making decisions that could affect sacred places. In Native history terms, that reflects a shift away from treating Native concerns as an afterthought and toward acknowledging tribal authority and cultural knowledge.

At the same time, Executive Order 13007 has limits. It is not a statute, so it does not carry the same force as a law passed by Congress. Agencies can use it as a policy guide, but that also means protection can vary depending on the agency, the project, and the broader legal fight around public land use.

You will usually see this order discussed alongside conflicts over sacred landscapes, federal land management, and Native activism. It fits into the bigger story of how tribes have had to keep pushing the U.S. government to respect places that are central to identity, ceremony, and survival.

## Why It Matters

Executive Order 13007 matters because it shows how Native American History is not only about wars and treaties, but also about land policy, religion, and the everyday power of federal agencies. A lot of Native struggle in the modern era happens through bureaucratic decisions, not just courtroom battles or public protests.

The order also helps you see the difference between recognition and full protection. The federal government can acknowledge that sacred sites matter, but if the rule is only an executive order, Native communities still have to fight for enforcement. That tension comes up again and again in Native land rights history: legal recognition does not always mean the site is truly safe.

This term also connects to tribal sovereignty because it assumes tribes should be consulted about places tied to their culture and religion. When you see a source, case, or policy mention sacred sites, you can use Executive Order 13007 as evidence of the broader movement toward cultural preservation and respect for Indigenous spiritual practices.

## Connections

### Tribal Sovereignty

Executive Order 13007 is about more than protecting a place. It also touches tribal sovereignty because consultation with tribal governments recognizes that tribes have authority and knowledge about their own sacred sites. When you connect the two, you can explain why Native land issues are political, legal, and cultural at the same time.

### [American Indian Religious Freedom Act](/native-american-history/key-terms/american-indian-religious-freedom-act)

Both terms deal with Native religious practice, but they work differently. The American Indian Religious Freedom Act is a broader statement of policy about protecting Native religion, while Executive Order 13007 focuses more specifically on sacred sites and federal land decisions. If a question asks about access to places of worship, both may matter, but 13007 is the more direct land-management example.

### National Historic Preservation Act

This term connects because historic preservation is not just about buildings and monuments, it can also include places sacred to Native peoples. Executive Order 13007 fits into that same world of federal review, where agencies have to think about what might be damaged before a project moves forward. It is a good example of preservation policy meeting Indigenous concerns.

### Cultural Resource Management

Cultural Resource Management is the practical side of protecting sites, artifacts, and places that have historical or cultural value. Executive Order 13007 matters here because agencies and archaeologists often have to decide what counts as a protected resource and how to handle land use near sacred places. It shows how preservation work can affect Native communities directly.

## On the AP Exam

A quiz or short-answer question might give you a land-use scenario and ask which policy addresses Native access to sacred sites. You would identify Executive Order 13007 and explain that it requires federal agencies to consider tribal concerns before approving projects on public land. If you get a document analysis prompt, look for language about consultation, sacred places, or federal land management. In an essay, you can use it as evidence that modern Native activism often focuses on cultural preservation and federal policy, not only on treaty history or reservation life. It also shows up in timeline questions about the 1990s shift toward greater recognition of Indigenous rights.

## Key Takeaways

- Executive Order 13007 is a 1996 order that tells federal agencies to protect access to Indian sacred sites on federal land.
- It matters in Native American History because it shows how land, religion, and tribal sovereignty overlap in modern federal policy.
- The order requires consultation with tribal governments, which means tribes are supposed to have a voice before land decisions are finalized.
- It is a policy directive, not a law passed by Congress, so its protection depends on how agencies apply it.
- You can use it to explain why sacred-site protection is part of the larger struggle for cultural preservation and Indigenous rights.

## FAQs

### What is Executive Order 13007 in Native American History?

Executive Order 13007 is a 1996 presidential order that directs federal agencies to protect access to Indian sacred sites and consider them in land decisions. In Native American History, it shows how the federal government has had to respond to Indigenous claims about sacred place and cultural preservation.

### Does Executive Order 13007 give tribes full legal control over sacred sites?

No. It requires agencies to consider access and consult with tribes, but it does not give tribes complete control over federal land. That gap is part of why sacred-site disputes can still become controversial even after the order was signed.

### How is Executive Order 13007 different from American Indian Religious Freedom Act?

The American Indian Religious Freedom Act is a broader policy statement about protecting Native religious practice. Executive Order 13007 is narrower and more specific, focusing on sacred sites and how federal agencies handle land management decisions that could block access.

### Why do sacred sites matter in Native American History?

Sacred sites are tied to ceremony, identity, memory, and tribal continuity. When a federal project threatens one of these places, the conflict is not just about land use, it is also about cultural survival and whether Native nations are being respected as sovereign communities.

## Related Study Guides

- [11.1 Land rights and sacred site protection](/native-american-history/unit-11/land-rights-sacred-site-protection/study-guide/anngGDERnzX9oPdY)

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