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“ Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United State...

Oct 11, 2023

“ Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in all cases where any tribe or band of Indians has been, or shall hereafter be, located upon any reservation created for their use, either by treaty stipulation or by virtue of an act of Congress or executive order, . . . the President of the United States [is] hereby . . . authorized, whenever in his opinion any reservation or any part thereof of such Indians is advantageous for agricultural and grazing purposes, to cause said reservation, or any part thereof, to be surveyed, . . . and to allot the lands in said reservation in severalty [separate plots of land, individually owned] to any Indian located thereon . . .” —Dawes Severalty Act (excerpt), 1887 1. A primary goal of the Dawes Severalty Act (1887) was to (A)turn American Indians into property-owning, profit-oriented, individual farmers. (B) keep alive traditional practices and languages. (C) open up American Indian lands in Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama to mining and cotton production. (D) compensate American Indian tribes for lands that had been taken through fraudulent treaties. 2. An important impetus for the passage of the Dawes Severalty Act was (A)the Supreme Court decision in the case of Worcester v. Georgia. (B) a nonviolent protest movement against existing policies led by Crazy Horse.(C) the success of the Freedmen’s Bureau in addressing the problems of African Americans in the South. (D) the depiction of mistreatment of American Indians in Helen Hunt Jackson’s book, A Century of Dishonor. 3. Which of the following developments was similar to the Dawes Severalty Act in that they both had the same goal for the future of American Indians? (A) The formation of the Ghost Dance movement (B) The establishment of Indian Boarding Schools (C) The passage of the Indian Reorganization Act (D) The founding of the American Indian Movement

Key Concept

KC-6.1.III The U.S. government sought to continue its expansion by annexing lands and by establishing territorial and state governments throughout the 19th century.

Explanation

The Dawes Act was intended to promote the assimilation of Native Americans into American society by encouraging them to become individual property owners and farmers, rather than communal tribal members. This was part of a broader policy of cultural assimilation during this period.

What was the Dawes Act?, What was the purpose of the Dawes Act?, How did the Dawes Act affect Native Americans?

Key Concept

KC-6.1.III The U.S. government sought to continue its expansion by annexing lands and by establishing territorial and state governments throughout the 19th century.

Explanation

Helen Hunt Jackson's book, A Century of Dishonor, exposed the mistreatment of Native Americans and was a significant factor in the passage of the Dawes Act. The book created public sympathy for the plight of Native Americans and put pressure on the government to reform its policies.

Who was Helen Hunt Jackson?, What was the impact of A Century of Dishonor?, How did public opinion influence the passage of the Dawes Act?

Key Concept

KC-6.1.III The U.S. government sought to continue its expansion by annexing lands and by establishing territorial and state governments throughout the 19th century.

Explanation

The establishment of Indian Boarding Schools was similar to the Dawes Act in that both aimed to assimilate Native Americans into mainstream American society. The schools were designed to "civilize" Native American children by teaching them English, Christianity, and vocational skills.

What were Indian Boarding Schools?, How did Indian Boarding Schools aim to assimilate Native Americans?, What was the impact of Indian Boarding Schools on Native American culture?