Native America post

Life style and reservation policy:

- The belief was that lands west of the Mississippi would permanently remain “Indian country”.
- (Soon proven false)
- Wagon trials moved westward
- As a result, federal governments began assigning the tribes definite boundaries.

Indian Wars:
- The settlement of farmers, miners, and homesteaders on American Indian land led to violence.
- Following wars, treaties were established in order to attempt to solve the plain Indians on
smaller reservations with the federal government promising government and support.

Assimilation:
- Best-selling books describing the injustice done to the American Indians
- Created sympathy for American Indians (eastern U.S)
- Generated support for aiding American Indian culture through assimilation (teaching white
culture in order to separate them from their original culture).

Dawes Act:
- Act designed to break up tribal organizations, which man, feel that kept American Indians from
becoming civilized and law-abiding citizens.
- Divided lands up to 160 acres depending on family size.
- U.S. citizens snip was created for those who stayed on the land for 25 years and maintained
habits of civilized life.
- In 1924, recognition of forced assimilation failed, the federal government granted United States
citizens to all American Indians
- Adopted the Indian reorganization act and promoted the rehabilitation of tribal organizations.

Wounded Knee:
- The slaughter of about 130 – 300 Indians by United States Army troops in the area of wounded
knee creek.
- Caused when trying to perform rituals

Decimation of American Bison:

- The Bison population was greatly decreasing due to western expansion wanting to build new
railroad transportation systems.
- The land was also decreasing due to westward expansion
- Forest reserve act and forest management were created for the preservation of public land and
natural treasuries.
- Acts withdrew federal timberlands from development and regulates their use.

Doc 1 questions:

Question #1: the gold rush impacted the Native Americans on the Pacific Ocean because it took the land
that was supposed to be reserved for them. This creates a sense of helplessness; they were subjected to
discrimination which led to murders committed due to the government not passing treaties for their
protection.
Question #2: The constant United States / Native American relationship has always been unjust and
brutal. There were always wars and bloodshed on both sides no matter the time or location.

Doc 2 questions:

Question #1: The final paragraph holds significance by explaining the atrocities committed at the
Wanted Knee by expressing how brutal the massacre and long-term cruelty were to the point where the
Native Americans thought that It would be better to stay and get revenge before moving on to the other
world. This paragraph also expressed the gravity of hate and violence sparked in native hearts.

Question #2: The author experiences a first-person point of it as if he is in the middle of it by stating “We
followed down the dry gulch, and what we saw was terrible”. The author tends to describe the event by
using different wording choices, and he often uses a negative tone of voice.

Doc 3 questions:

Question #1: President Harrison talks as if it is just another massacre event that was taken place by
blaming the Native Americans for their actions. Black Elk speaks of the horror which he was forced to
witness and the sense of grief he felt.

Question #2: Harrison’s motives for his actions regarding Wanted Knee were to protest and save the
lives of white settlers. He states, “Having given protection to the settlers” along with “bringing the
hostiles into subjection with the least possible loss of life”.

Doc 4 questions:

Question #1: B

Question #2: The author means that by changing the Indian culture of a person they can make them into
what they consider to be, a “man”.

Doc 5 questions:

Question #1: The photographer uses light to show that the assimilation of the native people changes all
factors of them.

Question #2: Assimilation leads to the degradation of culture because it scrapes away part of their
identity and changes it into something else, making them forget who they were their belief, values, and
roots.

Exit Slip:

Question #1: D
Question #2: B
Question #3: B
Question #4: Americans used techniques in order to replace current Native American culture with their
own. For example, the Americans would take the natives and place them in unique schools where they
can be taught traditional ways, how to interact with people on a day to day life, and become “civilized.”
However, in an attempt to preserve culture native Americans would attempt to settle on private
properties in order to not only prevent assimilation but to teach their ways to future generations.