1. The position of Native Americans (NAs) before WW1

?
  • Created by: Alasdair
  • Created on: 06-06-17 09:22
View mindmap
  • The position of Native Americans (NAs) before WW1
    • Federal gov's aim to assimilate NAs
    • Policies to achieve aim of assimilation constant
      • Aim meant government would destroy tribal bonds of NAs
    • To be achieved in a number of ways:
      • Education
      • Conversion to Christianity
      • Establishment of gov reservations
        • Reservation policy prevented NAs from moving freely and pursuing what left of buffalo herds
        • Allowed gov to destroy ways of life such as:
          • Polygamy had to be absconded
          • Braves could no longer demonstrate skills
          • Herbal remedies were forbidden
          • Tribal laws were abolished
          • Communal living was ended
          • The power of tribal leader ended
    • NAs thus forced to become farmers who inhabited specified area of land
    • Parents forced to send children to school
      • Children forbidden from speaking own language
      • Made to completely renounce traditional tribal beliefs
    • Two off-reservations boarding schools set up
      • Quality of education provided on reservations was poor
      • Virginia and Pennsylvania
      • Provided boys with vocational training
      • Girls provided with skills for domestic service
    • Education provided gave some NAs opportunity to find better jobs
      • Some working in Indian agency offices
      • Interpreters
      • Scouts
      • Army units
    • Rights of NA to determine what happened to land agreed
    • 1871
      • Lost right to determine what happened to land
      • Congress determined setting up reservations, relocating tribes and redrawing any reservation boundaries
      • Approach continued and size of reservations reduced further after defeat of General Custer at Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876
    • Polygamy
      • Taking more than one wife
      • Custom so all women were cared for by male which helped ensure survival of tribe
      • Went against Xn beliefs and used as further evidence of need to 'Americanise' NAs
    • Braves
      • NA warriors
    • Tribal chief
      • Head or chief of tribe
      • Presided over tribal courts and were therefore important in running tribe or 'nation' as large tribes were called
    • Reservations
      • Lands designated by US gov for NAs to occupy
      • Part of treaties signed with NAs
      • Process began in 1850s and speeded up in 1860s as main way of bringing about assimilation
      • At first, boundaries of reservations were agreed by treaties between government and NAs
      • Boundaries later imposed by Congress
    • Battle of Little Bighorn
      • General Custer
        • US army officer and cavalry commander in Civil War and in Plains Wars against NAs
        • Most famous for his defeat at Battle of Little Bighorn where he and battalion were killed
        • Battle has gone down in history as 'Custer's Last Stand'
      • Probably most famous battle in history of NA struggles
      • Was result of General C. being sent to return number of Sioux and Cheyenne who had left their reservation and refused to return
      • C. attacked them without waiting for full force to arrive
      • Approx. 2000 men defeated and all killed

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar History resources:

See all History resources »See all America - 19th and 20th century resources »