NA's and federal govt
SC Help
SC Hinder
Congress Help
President Help
President Hinder
Congress Hinder
The general Allotment act (Dawes act) 1887 destroyed reservation system and most NA's ended up having to sell land to white settlers to pay debts - E
The dawes act meant that land-owning Native paid taxes, therefore gained the rights of citizenship, but this was not particularly appreciated at this point in time (S/P) - allowed them the right to vote
FDR
Indian Reorganisation act (Wheeler-Howard Act) 1934 made illegal the sale of NA land to individual buyers so stopped reductions of reservation land - E
'indian new deal'
Indian new deal meant some funding was made available in ST to buy back former reservation land and some consolidation of allotted land took place
Lone Wold V Hitchcock (1903) supported the power of the US govt to revoke treaties made with the NA's, therefore NA's were less likely to get compensation for their land - E
The Bureau of Indian affairs in 1948 set up job placement centres in major cities e.g. LA
Termination (1953) ended the recognition of NA treaties - policy stopped by Nixon
Nixon
Ended termination so NA's were free to follow traditions and religions. However damage done
Voluntary relocation programme (1956) lured NA's away from the reservations by promising financial support for relocation in cities. Also promised comfortable housing with labour saving devices to NA's who moved to cities
HOWEVER...
- accommodation was poor - E
Indian Vocational Training act established "marketable skill" training for NA's to improve their employment prospects - E
LBJ
1968 set out a programme for better quality homes with proper sanitation for NA's on the reservations - S
Hoover
increased aid to NA's on reservations after 1929
The meriam report 1928) raised awareness of NA poverty
US V Sioux Nation (1980) rules that the Sioux were entitles to compensation for the loss of the Black hills
The indian tribal governmental tax status act 1983 gave NA tribal govt's access to the same tax exemptions that the states had
Extended the franchise to NA women - P
Voting rights act 1965 - P
The commissioner of Indian Affairs, Thomas Jefferson Morgan, in 1889, reported that tribal relations should be broken up and English should be adopted- S
The Curtis Act 1898 ended the independence of tribes by removing their right to be subject to their own tribal laws and govt - S
Cherokee V Hitchcock (1902) gave NA's the right to live according to their own laws and traditions
The Indian Reorganisation Act (Wheeler-Howard Act) of 1934 protected the right for Natives to practise their own religion and assert their cultural identity.
FDR
The Indian reorganisation act was modified by a Senate committee to not include self-determination for tribal councils and courts, however it did allow Natives to have more influence in the running of reservations.
US V Washington state (1974) ruled in favour of finish rights
Charrier v Bull (1986) ruled that remains dug from the ground in Louisiana belonged to NA community
The 1900 NA graves protection act required all fed-fumed institutions to repatriate NA remains, grave goods and sacred objects - S
Affirmative Action
Also affected polygamy as the 160 acres was given to men
ASSIMILATION
Americanisation
Through limited curriculum
However, 40-70% of the Native Americans who moved into cities ultimately returned to the reservations
After 1929, there were no Senators with Native American ancestry in the federal government until 1993
Reservation land had been slightly increased to 52.4 million acres by 1990
Indian Claims commission (1946-78) gave monetary compensation. However did little to give Native Americans their lands back and gave little regard to evidence provided by Natives
Prior to this there was little compensation:
Treaties, such as the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1871) signed by the Sioux, promised that the federal government would compensate the Natives for loss of land, but Natives were very rarely compensated
Termination
By 1968, Natives still had the highest rates of unemployment in the US (42%) and their median income was almost half that of the US as a whole
reported that Native Americans were the most impoverished people in the US
"war on poverty"
Some Natives began to be given food stamps and food handouts during and after President Johnson’s “War on Poverty”
Supplemental Security Income (1974) provided aid to some low-income Natives Americans who were either aged over 65, blind or disabled
In 1968 President Johnson set out a programme for better quality homes with proper sanitation for Native Americans on the reservations
In the 1850's the US govt began making reservations for NA's as they wanted the Great Plains for westward expansion for white settlers
150 million acres of reservation land in 1887 was reduced to 78 million acres by 1900, reduced to 50 million by the 1930's
Employment opportunities on the reservations were not provided by the federal government = High poverty - S/E
Most reservations were controlled by federal agents, who were often corrupt, and Natives had little say
However, some reservations had their own “court of offences”, where minor crimes were tried and the judges were Natives
The federal agents who ran that reservations were supported by 770 Native police officers
By 1970-90 - 54% had a degree
Ford
Indian Self-determination act and Education assistance act 1975
This continued under Carter
Carter
brought in the NA religious freedom act 1975 and Indian Child welfare act 1978
Spoke of the NA's as the 'Forgotten Americans' and set programme to improve their position
built upon by Nixon
The programme improved education with the Indian education act 1972
- Some NA nations or tribes regained their native sovereignty and self-determination
- Some lost lands were returned to the Makah, Toas, Pueblo and Yakima tribes
Arguably it was not until 1969 and Nixon's presidency that the government did anything to help the NA's in their desire for self-determination
great society
Including using the hallucinatory drug peyote to allow religious visions
However, in theory there was insufficient funds
Act continued assimilation + termination after WW2 so any benefits from W-H act were ST.
Voted for the act in a democratic way which was alien to them instead of using their traditional ritual councils = 'white mans culture' forced upon them
In 1970, 60% of reservation dwellings had no electricity and 80% had no running water
However... A study of 19,000 Native Americans in Oklahoma in 1968 indicated that almost 50% had no welfare benefits
150 million acres of reservation land in 1887 was reduced to 78 million acres by 1900, reduced to 50 million by the 1930's
The Indian Appropriations Act 1851
created the reservation system
This was to make room for the westward settlers
Most reservations were controlled by federal agents, who were often corrupt, and Natives had little say
The federal agents who ran that reservations were supported by 770 Native police officers
However, some reservations had their own “court of offences”, where minor crimes were tried and the judges were Natives
Funded by Rockerfeller
Oneida V Oneida and Madison counties - the Onedia tribe sued for the return of lands, encouraging further action
Faced with challenged from the Red power movement over mainly land and fishing rights