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Question

I think one of the most important parts of the history between the Native Americans and the white settlers was the 1887 Dawes Allotment Act of 1887. This was the government's way to divide up the Native American land to individual people and families. This began to weaken tribes because it eliminated the social structures of the Natives. It forced the Natives to seek the Western social systems that placed profits and individualism over community. Another major part was the BIA sending Native children off to boarding schools far from their families forcing them to assimilate to western culture. Many of these children ended up dying while away at these boarding schools, from diseases, lack of medical care, and abuse, and never saw their families again.



I do not believe Native Americans are better now than they were prior to the white men taking their land. Prior to colonization they were free to travel and hunt, they could follow their own social systems and rules. After colonization they were confined to small plots of land on reservations limiting their hunting and gathering. Native Americans on reservations today are very low income. They have lost a lot of their culture and social systems as well as their kinship.

Answer 1

You've highlighted critical aspects of the tumultuous history between Native Americans and white settlers. The Dawes Allotment Act indeed played a significant role in dismantling tribal structures and imposing individualism, which starkly contrasted with Native communal values. The impact of boarding schools cannot be understated, as they traumatized generations and severed vital cultural and familial ties. It's important to recognize that the effects of colonization have been deeply detrimental, resulting in loss of land, culture, and community support systems. Today, many Native Americans continue to face significant socio-economic challenges, which are rooted in this historical context. Addressing these issues requires acknowledgment of this painful legacy and commitment to supporting and revitalizing Native cultures and communities.