the progress and development of native american rights

1865 - 1914

- during this period, the aim of the federal government was to assimilate the native americans. this was to be achieved in a number of ways :  the reservation policy education conversion to christianity the dawes act

the reservation policy

- the reservation policy started in the 1850's, with treaties providing land for the native americans to occupy. it prevented them from moving freely and allowed the government to enforce policies : forbidding polygamy forbidding herbal remedies abolishing tribal laws ending communal living  ending the powers of the tribal chief sending children to off reservation boarding schools, where they could not speak their own language and had to renounce their traditional tribal beliefs.  - however, the reservations preserved some elements of native americans' tribal lifestyle, as they were still together as a community.

the dawes severalty act, 1887

- the dawes severalty act divided reservations into allotments, which were given to the native americans, turning them into landowners and citizens. this undermined their belief that the land was communal, and forced them into farming, an occupation unknown to them. many were unable to farm the land, because it was generally unsuitable for crops, and sold it to white people, adding to their decline. - by 1914, land that had been given to them by treaties had been taken away. two court cases, cherokee nation v. hitchcock, 1902 and lone wolf v. hitchcock further weakened their position. in lone wolf v. hitchcock , the supreme court upheld the right of congress to revoke all treaties made with the native americans and, therefore, take away more land. the native americans had lost their identity and pride, as they now often depended on the government for food. 

1914 - 1945

- in this period, over the two world wars, native americans were granted citizenship and there was some improvement in their lives with the new deal in the 1930's. however, it must be remembered that the gains made were not what the native americans wanted. 

indian citizenship act, 1924

- the indian citizenship act extended the right to vote to native americans, but most did not want citizenship or the right to vote (already established for some by the dawes act). the extension of the right to those living on reservations was not intended to increase their political involvement, but rather to increase the sped of their assimilation. citizenship did not restore their sovereignty. attacks on their culture, such as the dance order, which banned some of their traditional dances, further weakened their position. 

the meriam report, 1928

- this report, by reformers, anthropologists and social scientists, concluded that native american schools were underfunded and understaffed. it condemned the allotment policy and noted that the native americans were the most impoverished people in the country.

roosevelt's new deal

- the most important act of this period for the native anericans was the wheeler-howard act or the indian reorganisation act, 1934. this was the first act to preserve their culture and owed much to john collier. - the act gave native americans :  the right to practice their religion the right to undertake ceremonial dances and celebrations the ability to prevent the sale of their lands to individuals the extension of political rights to women

roosevelt's new deal

- it also improved conditions on reservations, with the building of schools where children learnt about their own culture, and in hospitals. the act also encouraged women to take up education and a greater economic role, and ended the allotment policy, but not assimilation. tribes were still not independent and funding intended to improve their lives was later used for the second world war effort instead.