The establishment of Indian Boarding Schools in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was a central part of the U.S. government's policies aimed at assimilating Native American populations into Euro-American culture. These schools were designed with several goals in mind:
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Cultural Assimilation: The primary goal of the boarding schools was to erase Indigenous cultures, languages, and identities. The schools enforced English-language education and prohibited the use of Native languages and cultural practices. The mantra often associated with this effort was "Kill the Indian, save the man," which reflected the belief that Indigenous peoples needed to abandon their traditions to become "civilized."
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Disruption of Traditional Practices: By removing children from their families and communities, these schools aimed to disrupt the transmission of cultural knowledge and practices. The intention was to create a generational gap that would weaken the cultural continuity of Indigenous communities.
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Economic Integration: The government sought to integrate Native Americans into the prevailing capitalist economy. The curriculum in boarding schools often included vocational training that was meant to prepare children for entry-level jobs in a predominantly Euro-American workforce, thus promoting economic dependence on a system that marginalized Native ways of life.
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Land Allotment Policies: The boarding school system paralleled other policies, such as the Dawes Act, which aimed to allot Native lands to individuals rather than tribes, thereby facilitating the dispossession of tribal lands and their transfer to non-Native ownership. Educating Native children in boarding schools was seen as a means to support these policies by encouraging individualism over collectivism.
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Political Control: By educating Native youth in ways that promoted allegiance to the U.S. government and its ideologies, boarding schools were also viewed as a way to prevent Native resistance to government policies, including land seizures and other forms of colonialism.
Overall, Indian Boarding Schools were a reflection of the broader U.S. policy of forced assimilation and control over Native American populations, aimed at further integrating them into the dominant Euro-American society while systematically dismantling their cultural identities. The consequences of these policies have had lasting impacts on Indigenous communities across the United States, contributing to ongoing intergenerational trauma and cultural loss.
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