Native American Civil Rights Flashcards

1
Q

When were the Plains Wars?

A

1862-68
Driven by hunger tribes such as the Sioux and Cheyenne clashed with settlers and the US army

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2
Q

What is ‘Manifest Destiny’?

A

1845- the belief that White Americans were destined to populate the continent

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3
Q

What was the Homestead Act?

A

1862- provided free land to settlers if they farmed it for 5 years - encouraged expansion

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4
Q

What were the Indian Treaties?

A

1851-68- signed by different tribes and the fed govt:
Tribes gave up land in return for annual payments and support to set up an agricultural economy- not fulfilled

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5
Q

When was the Sank Creek Massacre?

A

1864- 200 women and children dead

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6
Q

What was the Dolittle Report?

A

1867- blamed violence on aggression of lawless whites

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7
Q

What was the Reservation Policy?

A

“Americanisation”- locate NAms on govt controlled reservations- could no longer roam freely and tribal beliefs, customs and skills could be eradicated
After 1871- congress makes decision, army used to enforce reservation policy

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8
Q

What was the Battle of Little Bighorn?

A

1876- General Custer an his cavalry of 200 men tried to round up Sioux and Cheyenne who left reservations and refused to return - all of Custer’s men killed including him

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9
Q

What was the Indian Rights Association? (IRA)

A

1882- a philanthropic organisation- social activist group devoted to the assimilation of Native Americans, lobbying congress and working in education. Largely religious- Quakers, Catholics, Protestants

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10
Q

What was The Dawes Act?

A

1887- reservations turned into allotments
However, wanted o turn NAms into American farmers- leads to alienation of land
150m acres - 50m acres of NA land
Get citizenship- doesn’t mean anything to them
Cherkee (lead by women) are not recognised

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11
Q

What was the Massacre at Wounded Knee?

A

1890- group of Sioux Indians tried to escape their reservation- danced the “Ghost Dance” and frightened white settlers
Reservation police believed Sitting Bull was responsible and shot him when he resisted arrest
escapees were rounded up and slaughtered by wounded knee creek - 200 unarmed men women and children died

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12
Q

What impact did WWI have?

A

approx 10,000 NAms fight- not segregated units
some families work in defence industries
some Indian women work in factories
war is an accelerator towards assimilation
recognised and honoured
employment opportunities
however not a turning point

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13
Q

What was The Society of American Indians?

A

1911- 50 educated Indian men
They aim to challenge discrimination through the courts
too divided in vision
short of funds
see assimilation as the only route
westernised and middle class focus

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14
Q

What was the American Indian Defence Association?

A

1923- AIDA- campaigns for laws to protect the rights of Indians to their land, arts and freedom
formed after research into Pueblo Indians pf Mexico
Lost land as a result of supreme court judgement (1913)
had been banned from performing ritual dances by the DANCE ORDER (1921 and 23)

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15
Q

What was the Indian Citizenship Act?

A

1924- extends the franchise to NAms
main context is relentless drive to assimilation
not viewed positively
many states on the West deprive Indians of the right to vote in state elections
only in 1957 all states allow Indian voting

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16
Q

What was the Meriam Report?

A

1928- 2 years of research
condemns the allotment policy
describes dreadful conditions on reservations
corrupt officials, poor education
most impoverished people of the USA
robbed of self esteem
destroyed families and communties

17
Q

What was President Hoover’s response to the Meriam Report?

A

Appoints Charles Rhoades as Indian Commissioner
reform package- closed unpopular off-reservation boarding schools and replaces them with reservation schools
improve medical facilities with federal funding
nothing done about land

18
Q

What was the impact of the New Deal?

A

Indian Reorganization Act 1934- John Collier- Bureau of Indian Affairs Commssioner
Indians have more involvement int he administration of reservations
Rights to practice religion and to assert their cultural identity were protected
- overthrows 1883 law banning ceremonial dances and celebrations
-ended sale of land to individual buyers- unallocated land returned to Indians- more involved in BIA
- extend rights to women
- hospital, schools and irrigation system building
- commitment to assimilation remained
- little reversal of allotted land happens
- top down reforming- Indians did not understand Collier
- stopped further alienation of land- health and education improved

19
Q

What was the impact of WW2?

A
  • 100,000 left the reservations of their homesteads - 25,000 of these served with distinction on the armed forces
  • 75,000 moved to urban areas to work in defence industry
  • those who remained on reservations suffered hardship- Japenese Am relocated
  • returning soldiers face discrimination
  • GI BILL
20
Q

When was the National Congress of American Indians established ?

A

NCAI- 1944

21
Q

What was Termination?

A

1950s
- 1953, congress formally adopted a policy of termination
- ended FG control of Bureau of Indian Affairs - aggressive assimilation- AMERICANISATION
- From 1953- 1964, 109 tribes were terminated- federal responsibility and jurisdiction was given to state government
- 2,500,000 acres of trust land removed
- 12,000 NAms lost tribal affiliation
- 1 million acres of land is transferred in 1950s- punishes self-sufficient communities- New Dams affect fishing sites- Missouri River

22
Q

What was the impact of Termination by 1968?

A

negative effects apparent
highest rates of illiteracy, disease, unemployment- lived in poorest accommodation
Johnson- March 1968- message to congress entitled ‘The Forgotten Americans’- a programme to promote Indian self help and respect
By 1960- 60,000 NAms- poor 25%
- faced white hostility
- after 1968- Affirmative Action
- small percentage of educated and middle class

23
Q

What progress was made under Nixon?

A

1969-appoints Louis R Bruce Jr, a Mohawk- Sioux as commissioner for Indian Affairs
- 1970- began returning lands with the Makah and Taos Pueblo Indians
- 1972- Indian Education Act
- 1972- NAms given preference in employment opportunities
- major problems not resolved different tribes and ambitions

24
Q

What was the Indian Self- Determination and Education Assistance Act?

A

1975- allowed tribes to negotiate contracts with Bureau of Indian Affairs
- slow to arrive and funding gradually cut back under Reagan’s ‘native capitalism’

25
Q

What was the American Indian Movement and what did it do?

A

AIM- Red Power- more radical- 1968
1971- AIM held its first national convention
1972- AIM took over Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washingto DC
protests at Mount Rushmore
1973- AIM staged an armed confrontation with govt at Wounded Knee- only 300 supporters
1975- violence at Pine Ridge Reservation

26
Q

When was American Indian Review Commission?

A

1975

27
Q

When was the Native American Religious Freedom Act?

A

1978