Richard Henry Pratt

Definition

Richard Henry Pratt was a United States Army officer and educator, best known for founding the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in 1879. He advocated for the forced assimilation of Native American children into Euro-American culture through education, believing that this was the solution to the so-called 'Indian problem.' His approach included the belief that Native Americans could be 'civilized' by stripping them of their cultural identities and promoting Western values.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Pratt famously stated, 'Kill the Indian in him, and save the man,' which encapsulated his philosophy on the education of Native Americans.
2. The Carlisle Indian Industrial School served as a model for over 150 similar institutions across the U.S. aimed at assimilating Native Americans.
3. Pratt believed that education was essential for assimilation, emphasizing vocational training to prepare Native American children for life in mainstream American society.
4. Many students at these boarding schools experienced harsh discipline, cultural suppression, and abuse, leading to long-lasting psychological effects.
5. Pratt's ideas and methods became foundational in shaping U.S. government policies toward Native Americans during the late 19th century.

Review Questions

• How did Richard Henry Pratt's beliefs about education influence the treatment of Native American children in boarding schools?
  • Richard Henry Pratt believed that education was key to assimilating Native American children into Euro-American culture. His approach led to the establishment of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, where children were removed from their families and communities to be educated in a way that stripped them of their cultural identity. This forced assimilation often involved harsh discipline and practices intended to suppress Indigenous languages and traditions.
• Discuss the impact of Richard Henry Pratt's work on future educational policies regarding Native Americans in the United States.
  • Richard Henry Pratt's work laid the groundwork for a widespread system of Indian boarding schools across the United States, affecting thousands of Native American children. His belief that Native Americans needed to be 'civilized' through education led to policies that prioritized assimilation over cultural preservation. As a result, many future educational policies mirrored his philosophy, perpetuating cycles of cultural loss and trauma among Indigenous communities.
• Evaluate the long-term effects of Pratt's educational philosophies on Native American identity and community structures.
  • The long-term effects of Richard Henry Pratt's educational philosophies have been profound and damaging to Native American identity and community structures. His methods resulted in a significant loss of cultural practices and languages as children were taught to reject their heritage. The trauma experienced by generations of Native Americans in boarding schools has had lasting impacts on community cohesion, mental health, and intergenerational relationships, making recovery from this historical trauma a continuing challenge for many Indigenous communities today.

Related terms

Carlisle Indian Industrial School: The first off-reservation boarding school in the United States for Native American children, founded by Richard Henry Pratt to educate and assimilate Indigenous youth into American society.

Assimilation: The process by which individuals or groups adopt the cultural norms of another group, often leading to the loss of their original cultural identity.

Indian Boarding Schools: Institutions established primarily in the late 19th and early 20th centuries aimed at forcibly educating Native American children to promote assimilation into Euro-American culture.