Allotment system

Definition

The allotment system was a policy implemented in the late 19th century that aimed to assimilate Native Americans into mainstream American society by dividing communal tribal lands into individual plots. Each Native American family received a designated parcel of land, which they were encouraged to farm and develop individually, while the surplus land was made available for sale to non-Native settlers. This system significantly reduced tribal landholdings and aimed to undermine traditional communal living and cultural practices.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The allotment system led to the loss of over 90 million acres of tribal land by the early 20th century, drastically reducing Native American landholdings.
2. The Dawes Act, which established the allotment system, aimed to promote individual land ownership as a way to encourage farming and self-sufficiency among Native Americans.
3. Many Native Americans were unfamiliar with farming and land management, leading to significant economic hardship as they struggled to adapt to this new lifestyle.
4. The surplus lands created by the allotment system were often sold to non-Native settlers, further displacing Indigenous communities and undermining their traditional ways of life.
5. The allotment system is viewed as a major factor contributing to the erosion of Native American culture and community structure during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Review Questions

• How did the allotment system change the relationship between Native Americans and their lands?
  • The allotment system fundamentally altered the relationship between Native Americans and their lands by transforming communal land holdings into individually owned parcels. This shift encouraged private ownership, which contrasted sharply with Indigenous traditions of collective land use. As tribes lost vast amounts of land to non-Native settlers through this policy, it not only diminished their physical territory but also disrupted their cultural practices that were closely tied to the communal management of resources.
• What were the intended goals of the allotment system, and how did these goals reflect broader assimilationist policies toward Native Americans?
  • The primary goals of the allotment system were to promote individualism among Native Americans and encourage them to adopt Euro-American agricultural practices. This approach reflected broader assimilationist policies that aimed to integrate Indigenous peoples into mainstream American society by erasing their cultural identities and communal lifestyles. By dividing tribal lands and promoting farming, policymakers believed they could 'civilize' Native Americans, ultimately undermining their social structures and traditional ways of life.
• Evaluate the long-term impacts of the allotment system on Native American communities and their cultural heritage.
  • The long-term impacts of the allotment system on Native American communities were profound and detrimental. It resulted in the significant loss of land, disrupting traditional economies and leading to increased poverty among Native populations. Culturally, the forced transition from communal living to individual ownership weakened tribal bonds and eroded languages and customs. The legacy of this policy continues to affect contemporary Native American identity, as many tribes still grapple with the consequences of land loss and cultural disintegration resulting from such assimilationist efforts.

Related terms

Dawes Act: A law enacted in 1887 that initiated the allotment system by breaking up tribal lands into individual plots for Native American families.

Assimilation: The process of integrating Native Americans into Euro-American culture, often through policies that aimed to erase Indigenous identities and practices.

Tribal Sovereignty: The inherent authority of Indigenous tribes to govern themselves and maintain their cultural practices, often challenged by policies like the allotment system.