American Indian Laws and Policies: Difference between revisions

American Indian Laws and Policies (view source)

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 === 1887 - The Dawes or General Allotment Act  ===
-The act provided for the following:
+The [http://www2.csusm.edu/nadp/a1887.htm General Allotment Act], also known as the Dawes Act (24 Stat. 388-391), provided for the following:
-#Each Indian family head be allotted a 160 acre farm out of reservation lands.
+#Each Indian family head was to be allotted a 160 acre farm out of reservation lands.
 #Each new land owner who abandoned tribal practices and adopted the "habits of civilized life" would be granted American citizenship.
 #"Surplus" reservation lands would be made available to sell to white settlers.
-The Dawes Act, while well intentioned, did not benefit the Indians. The lands they were assigned were poor and the concept of "Americanization" led to a destruction of Indian culture and the destruction of the traditional status of Indian women in tribal life. Finally, as a result of the "surplus" land provision the Indians lost 90 million out of 140 acres of reservation land.
+The Dawes Act may have been well intentioned, but much of the lands assigned was poor and difficult to farm. As a reult, the "surplus" land provision caused the Indians to lose approximately 90 million out of 140 acres of reservation land.
+This act was responsible for the creation of several types of records, however, including the [[American_Indian_Allotment_Records|allotment records]], heirship files, the [[American_Indian_Register_of_Families|Register of Families]], and other supporting documents, many of which are very valuable in the tracing of American Indian ancestry.
 === 1924 - Snyder Indian Citizenship Act  ===