Question

"An act to provide for the allotment of lands in severalty to Indians on the various reservations, and to extend the protection of the laws of the United States and the Territories over the Indians, and for other purposes."
- from the Dawes Severalty Act, 1887

Although its stated purpose was to "extend the protection" of the laws of the U.S. to Native Americans, the Dawes Act was passed because the federal government wanted to

Responses

A

complete work on the Transcontinental Railroad.

complete work on the Transcontinental Railroad.

B

claim Indian tribal lands and open them to settlement by non-Indians.

claim Indian tribal lands and open them to settlement by non-Indians.

C

force the Cherokee from lands to the east of the Appalachian Mountains.

force the Cherokee from lands to the east of the Appalachian Mountains.

D

complete its "Manifest Destiny" by claiming territories from other countries.

Answer 1

The correct response is:

B

claim Indian tribal lands and open them to settlement by non-Indians.

The Dawes Severalty Act was aimed at assimilating Native Americans into American society by allotting individual plots of land to them and intending to reduce the collective landholdings of tribes, thus facilitating the transfer of excess land to non-Indian settlers.