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HIS 122 Research Brief |
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| After extermination through disease and
"pacification" by the Army, and relocation to reservations, the Dawes Severalty
Act of 1887 was seen as a humanitarian reform intended to help Native
Americans. It authorized the president to divide tribal lands into 160-acre
land grants for each head of family and lesser amounts to others. Unfortunately, it
created new opportunities for land spoliation and disrupted traditional cultural
bonds. Land not distributed to Native American families was sold, and "land sharks" swindled many families out
of their land. In an effort to "Americanize" them, Indians were not only
taught English but also discouraged from speaking native languages and forced to cut their
hair. Often they were encouraged to replace traditional religious customs with
Christianity. Some became successful farmers but many others remained frustrated and
impoverished wards of the federal government. Turning Tomahawks into Plowshares? Above are before/after photographs of Tom Torlino, a Navajo who was "civilized" at an Indian Training School. Below is a map showing land held by Native American tribes before the Dawes Act and 100 years later. |
 Illustrations courtesy of American History Online Project, Virginia Tech |
