6. The Position of Native Americans Before WW1 (pre-1914)

Question 1

Federal government’s aim

Answer 1

to assimilate NA
throughout period and first half of 20th century.
Policies to achieve this changed over the period but aim of assimilation remained constant.

Question 2

how did federal government destroy tribal life style and bonds of native people

Answer 2

education,
conversion to Christianity,
turning NA into farmers,
establishment of government reservations

Question 3

Reservation Policy

what did it entail

Answer 3

lands designated by US government for the NA to occupy as part of the treaties signed with the NA.

Question 4

Reservation Policy

when did it begin/speed up?

Answer 4

begun in 1850s but sped up in 1860s to speed up assimilation.
At first boundaries agreed by treaties between government and NA.
Later boundaries imposed by congress.

Question 5

how Reservation policy allowed gov to destroy tribal way of life
Polygamy?

Answer 5

had to be abandoned. Went against Christian beliefs, acted as further evidence of need to ‘Americanise’ NA (the taking of more than one wife so all women were cared for by a male. helped to ensure survival of tribe)

Question 6

how Reservation policy allowed gov to destroy tribal way of life
Braves?

Answer 6

could no longer demonstrate their skills (NA warriors)

Question 7

how Reservation policy allowed gov to destroy tribal way of life
Herbal remedies?

Answer 7

forbidden

Question 8

how Reservation policy allowed gov to destroy tribal way of life
Tribal laws?

Answer 8

abolished

Question 9

how Reservation policy allowed gov to destroy tribal way of life
Communal living?

Answer 9

ended

Question 10

how Reservation policy allowed gov to destroy tribal way of life
Power of tribal chief?

Answer 10

ended (head or leader of a tribe. presided over tribal courts.
important in the running of tribe or ‘nation’ as larger tribes were called)

Question 11

how Reservation policy allowed gov to destroy tribal way of life
NA forced to become farmers who inhabited a specific area of land =

Answer 11

prevented NA moving freely and pursuing what was left of buffalo herds (nomadic way of life abandoned)

Question 12

how Reservation policy allowed gov to destroy tribal way of life
schools?

Answer 12

Parents forced to send children to school where forbidden from speaking their own language and made to completely renounce traditional tribal beliefs

Question 13

2 off reservation boarding school set up because quality of education provided on reservation was poor.

1. where?
2. Provided boys with?
3. provided girls with?

Answer 13

1. Virginia and Pennsylvania.
2. vocational training
3. skills for domestic service.

Question 14

Education gave some NA opportunity to find better jobs- e.g.

Answer 14

some working in Indian agency offices and some working as interpreters or scouts in army units

Question 15

At first the right of NA to determine what happened to their land was agreed.
when did they loose this right?

Answer 15

After 1871
Congress given the power to decide on setting up reservations, relocating tribes and redrawing any reservation boundaries.

Question 16

size of reservations further reduced after

Answer 16

defeat of General Custer at the battle of little big horn in 1876

Question 17

what happened at the battle of little bighorn?

Answer 17

Custer sent to return a number or Sioux and Cheyenne who had left reservation and refused to return.
Custer attacked without waiting for his full force to arrive. force of some 200 men defeated and killed by NA

Question 18

when was the battle of little big horn?

Answer 18

1876