The Dawes Act, passed in 1887, aimed to protect Native Americans by giving them private land. However, the US government chose inferior land, causing many to sell to white settlers. The Act also caused fragmentation of tribes and loss of culture, leading to a rise in landless Native Americans.
The Dawes Act was a piece of legislation passed in the United States in 1887, which remained in effect until 1934. The Act had far-reaching effects on Native American society and culture, and some people suggest that it directly contributed to the fragmentation and the gradual dissolution of many Native American communities. The reasoning behind the Dawes Act was supposedly the protection of Native Americans, but many people believe that the law was actually deliberately designed to fracture the Indian community in the United States while also opening up Indian lands to settlement.
Under the Dawes Act, any Native American applying would be given an allotment of private land, which would be held in trust for 25 years before the deed was turned over to the owner. Depending on how the land would be used, the allotment could be 160, 80, or 40 acres, and people could choose their allotments. By taking ownership of the land, the owner would also be entitled to full US citizenship.
However, the Dawes Act came with some strings attached. First of all, the land to be subdivided was chosen by the US government, and was often of inferior quality. Often, Indian landowners were unable to live on or cultivate the land, and were therefore forced to sell it, typically causing ownership to shift from the Native American community to white settlers. They were also required to anglicise their names, ostensibly to make paperwork easier to handle, but more likely due to a concerted effort to suppress Native American culture.
Land ownership itself was a difficult concept for Native Americans to grasp, as they historically lived collectively and did not believe that people could “own” land. Under the Dawes Act, tribes often found themselves fragmented, losing their fundamental identity, language and culture. In addition, plots were broken up by descendants of landowners, causing further fragmentation. Many frustrated children ended up selling their portions, often at a steep discount.
While the Dawes Act was supposed to promote land ownership among Native Americans, the net result was a huge jump in the number of landless Native Americans. Because their tribes had been highly fragmented, the descendants of many of these individuals find it difficult to establish their eligibility for classification as “Native American,” along with all the benefits that entails. The breakup of Native lands under the Dawes Act also contributed to the loss of Native American culture, traditions, and languages.
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