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