The Dawes Severalty Act which is also known as the General Allotment Act was passed on February 8, 1887 by Congress and signed my President Grover Cleveland. Congress stated the goals of the Act, “were simple and clear cut: to extinguish tribal sovereignty, erase reservation boundaries, and force the assimilation of Indians into the society at large.” The Act required Native Americans to be give up their land and be relocated in return for individual land grants. The Dawes Act divided Indian reservations into smaller sections allowing more protection for the United States over Indian territories. The goal of dividing up the reservations were to help Native Americans integrate into American society and create independent landholders which would cause tribes to break up and become more independent. The Dawes Act was finally abolished in 1934, by President Franklin Roosevelt’s first term.
If an individual was the head of a household then they received 160 acres, 80 acres was given to a single person or an orphan under 18 years of age and 40 acres to a single minor. The Dawes Act also stated that such allotments would be held in trust by the government for 25 years and after that time period they were allowed to sell their allotments. They not only could sell their land but after that time period …show more content…
Although the act was not popular with the Native Americans it did fulfill the desire to control Native Americans and to integrate them into American society. The Dawes Act failed in creating independent Native American farmers because most of the land was too small for good agriculture and even when the land was good, farming requires money to buy equipment, seeds and cattle which Native Americans did not have access to. Also, Native Americans viewed farming as very disrespectful do to their views of the earth and how it should be
If an individual was the head of a household then they received 160 acres, 80 acres was given to a single person or an orphan under 18 years of age and 40 acres to a single minor. The Dawes Act also stated that such allotments would be held in trust by the government for 25 years and after that time period they were allowed to sell their allotments. They not only could sell their land but after that time period …show more content…
Although the act was not popular with the Native Americans it did fulfill the desire to control Native Americans and to integrate them into American society. The Dawes Act failed in creating independent Native American farmers because most of the land was too small for good agriculture and even when the land was good, farming requires money to buy equipment, seeds and cattle which Native Americans did not have access to. Also, Native Americans viewed farming as very disrespectful do to their views of the earth and how it should be