What role did the Dawes Act play in the suppression of American Indians?

Question

A.
It forced them to assimilate into mainstream white culture.
B.
It forced them to give up tribal land ownership.
C.
It forced them to move west, out of the Indian Territory.
D.
It forced them to invest their money in US savings bonds.


Please select the best answer from the choices provided

A
B
C
D

Answer 1

The best answer is A. It forced them to assimilate into mainstream white culture.

The Dawes Act of 1887 aimed to assimilate Native Americans into American society by allotting them individual plots of land and promoting private land ownership, which was intended to encourage them to adopt Euro-American agricultural practices and lifestyles. This act undermined tribal ownership of land and sought to erase Indigenous cultural identities.