Assimilation policies

Definition

Assimilation policies refer to the strategies and practices implemented by the government aimed at integrating Native Americans into Euro-American culture, often at the expense of their own identities and traditions. These policies were a significant part of U.S. federal Indian policy, moving from forced removal and relocation to efforts that sought to erase Indigenous cultures, with the ultimate goal of making Native Americans adopt mainstream American lifestyles. Such policies have had lasting effects on Native communities and their cultural heritage.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Assimilation policies gained momentum in the late 19th century with the belief that Native Americans needed to adopt Western values and lifestyles to survive.
2. The Dawes Act of 1887 was a key piece of legislation that aimed to assimilate Native Americans by allotting individual plots of land to families, undermining communal land ownership.
3. Assimilation often involved the erasure of Indigenous languages, religions, and practices, with government efforts promoting English and Christianity as the dominant cultural expressions.
4. The use of boarding schools for Native children was widespread in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, where many children were forcibly taken from their families to learn English and adopt Western customs.
5. These assimilation efforts led to long-term trauma within Native communities, resulting in loss of cultural identity, intergenerational trauma, and ongoing struggles for cultural revitalization.

Review Questions

• How did assimilation policies transform Native American identities during the late 19th century?
  • Assimilation policies dramatically transformed Native American identities by imposing Euro-American cultural norms that often contradicted Indigenous ways of life. Programs like the Dawes Act sought to individualize land ownership and break down tribal structures, while boarding schools forcibly removed children from their families to teach them Western values. This not only led to the loss of traditional practices but also created internal conflicts as individuals struggled between two cultures.
• Evaluate the impact of boarding schools on Native American communities in terms of cultural retention and loss.
  • Boarding schools had a profound negative impact on Native American communities by disrupting family bonds and prohibiting cultural practices. Children were often punished for speaking their languages or practicing their traditions, leading to a significant decline in cultural transmission between generations. This enforced separation fostered a sense of dislocation among tribes, contributing to a broader narrative of cultural loss and trauma that many communities continue to address today.
• Assess the long-term consequences of assimilation policies on contemporary Native American communities and their ongoing cultural revitalization efforts.
  • The long-term consequences of assimilation policies are deeply felt in contemporary Native American communities, where efforts toward cultural revitalization are essential for healing historical wounds. Many tribes are actively working to reclaim their languages, traditions, and identities that were suppressed during periods of intense assimilation. By fostering cultural pride and community engagement, these efforts are crucial not only for preserving heritage but also for promoting resilience against the lasting effects of colonialism.

Related terms

Indian Removal Act:

A law passed in 1830 that authorized the forced relocation of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the Southeastern United States to designated Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River.

Boarding Schools: Institutions created to educate Native American children in Euro-American culture, often involving strict rules against speaking their languages or practicing their traditions.

Cultural Genocide: The systematic destruction of a group's culture, including language, religion, and customs, often facilitated through policies that aim to assimilate or eliminate a cultural identity.