Native American Civil Rights Flashcards
What caused many Native Americans to be removed from their land?
Many Native Americans were removed by the 1830 Indian Land Removal Act in which the Federal Government created a series of unfair treaties which provided alternative land or money but this was inferior and unsuitable.
What was established to help the federal government enact these unfair treatise?
The Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs was created in 1824 to administer Indian affairs as White people expanded into their territory.
What were the two main issues that Native Americans focused on?
- Return to former tribal homeland of which were sacred and spiritual territories which had been taken from them during the 1830 Indian Removal Act.
- Right to self determination, which had been an issue for the past century.
What did the BIA try and press natives into doing?
They wanted them to modernize their ways by moving to cities and getting job training however, they had to accept the policy of termination.
What did Natives gain and lose from termination?
Although they became US citizens protected by Federal and State Law however, it meant an end to tribal life and any lands held in trust were sold.
How many Natives had accepted the idea of termination by 1970?
Although many had resisted the idea of termination by 1870 over half of the 830’000 Natives were living in towns and cities.
Why did the Native CRM campaign begin to develop in the 1960s?
The Federal Government had began to admit that Natives were being treat unfairly which led to campaigns for a return to their homelands and the creation of fairer treaties.
How did the BIA limit the autonomy of Natives living within reservations?
The BIA had started to interfere with Native culture. Schools were made to teach only in English and students were made to wear proper clothes and cut their hair.
What was the less radical group campaigning for Native American Civil Rights?
The National Congress for Native American Indians (NCAI) which was similar to the NAACP and the SNCC in the sense that they worked with the government system and avoided radicalism.
What was the more anti federal group campaigning for Native American civil rights?
The American Indian Movement (AIM) took a very anti-federal perspective within their protests. It was mainly made up of young people that hadn’t experienced traditional tribal life, they coined the slogan Red Power. They used similar tactics to the Black CRM and organised sit-ins and occupations often in disputed land.
Name a smaller grouper that also campaigned for Native Civil Rights?
The Alcatraz Red Power Movement ARPM also existed and occupied the Prison of Alcatraz. They take it over on the 20th of November 1969 and occupies it until 1971.
What was AIM’s membership by 1971 and what protests were they engaging in?
AIM membership was now at 4’500. They faced violence when they protested a white boy scout group performing ‘Indian Dances’ in Topeka, protests at Fort Snelling, Minnesota and the Black Hills of Dakota.
What did aim do in 1972?
They carried out the Trail of Broken Treaties which was a protest drive to Washington to the outside of the BIA, they protested over various issues such as the refusal to renegotiate various government treaties, the building is then occupied.
What did AIM do in February 1973?
They occupied the village of Wounded Knee and declared independence as the Oglala Sioux Nation. The Federal Government sent in marshals and state police, the siege lasted 71 days and AIM only withdrew once the Federal Government agreed to investigate their demands and grievances.
What happened between February to July 1978?
The longest walk from San Francisco to Washington to protest about the forced removal of Native Americans from their homelands and Congress’ unwillingness to renegotiate treaties.
