Indian Boarding School Era

Definition

The Indian Boarding School Era refers to a period in U.S. history, primarily from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, during which Native American children were forcibly removed from their families and communities to attend government-run boarding schools. The intent behind these institutions was to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-American culture by erasing their languages, traditions, and identities, effectively aiming to ‘civilize’ them according to Western standards.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Indian Boarding School Era began in the late 1800s as part of a broader U.S. policy aimed at assimilating Native Americans into mainstream American society.
2. Children at these boarding schools were often punished for speaking their native languages and practicing their cultures, which led to significant cultural loss.
3. Many boarding schools operated under a strict military-like discipline, enforcing rules that stripped away individual identity and autonomy.
4. The legacy of the boarding school era has had long-lasting effects on Native American communities, contributing to issues such as trauma, loss of language, and disconnection from cultural practices.
5. Some former students have shared stories of abuse and neglect in these institutions, highlighting the traumatic impact of the boarding school experience on Indigenous families.

Review Questions

• How did the policies surrounding the Indian Boarding School Era reflect broader goals of assimilation within U.S. society?
  • The policies during the Indian Boarding School Era were designed to forcibly integrate Native Americans into Euro-American society by stripping away their cultural identities. This reflected a broader goal of assimilation that aimed to create a homogenous national identity, where Indigenous ways of life were viewed as inferior and undesirable. The government believed that by educating Native children in boarding schools and enforcing Western values, they could eradicate Indigenous cultures and beliefs.
• Analyze the impact of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School as a model for other boarding schools during this era.
  • The Carlisle Indian Industrial School was significant because it served as a prototype for other boarding schools across the United States. Its methods of indoctrination and strict discipline were widely adopted, influencing how Native American children were educated in these institutions. Carlisle's focus on vocational training aimed to prepare students for manual labor roles in mainstream society while promoting a Eurocentric worldview that marginalized their own cultural heritage.
• Evaluate the long-term consequences of the Indian Boarding School Era on contemporary Native American communities and identities.
  • The long-term consequences of the Indian Boarding School Era have been profound for contemporary Native American communities. The forced assimilation policies led to significant trauma, loss of language, and severed connections to cultural practices that many tribes are still working to restore today. The impacts include ongoing mental health issues linked to historical trauma, as well as efforts to revitalize languages and traditions among younger generations. Understanding this history is crucial for recognizing the resilience of Indigenous communities as they navigate their identities in a modern context.

Related terms

Assimilation: The process by which individuals or groups adopt the culture of another group, often losing their original cultural identity in the process.

Carlisle Indian Industrial School: One of the first and most well-known Indian boarding schools, founded in 1879 in Pennsylvania, which became a model for similar institutions across the country.

Cultural Genocide: The systematic destruction of a group's culture, language, and identity, often through oppressive measures such as forced assimilation.