Native Americans Flashcards
What was the purpose of the Indian Removal Act of 1830?
The Indian Removal Act, signed by President Andrew Jackson, aimed to relocate Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the south-eastern U.S. to lands west of the Mississippi River, resulting in the Trail of Tears.
What were the consequences of the Indian Removal Act?
Forced relocation of Native American tribes, loss of ancestral lands, thousands of deaths during the forced march (Trail of Tears), and trauma for tribes like the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks, and Seminoles.
What characterized the social structure of many Native American societies?
Many tribes had communal living with a focus on family and community. Women had significant roles in agriculture and family life, and tribes were often organized in clans or extended families.
How did Native Americans view their relationship with the natural world?
Native Americans believed in a deep connection to the earth, considering it their mother and seeing all living things as interconnected. They often practiced sustainable living with respect to nature.
What was the role of war in Native American society?
War was often viewed as the highest calling, with warriors gaining status and prestige through battle. However, many tribes emphasized peace and cooperation over conflict.
What was the purpose of the Dawes Act (1887)?
The Dawes Act aimed to assimilate Native Americans into American society by allotting individual plots of land to Native American families, undermining tribal ownership and communal land use.
What were the effects of the Dawes Act on Native American tribes?
The Dawes Act led to the loss of 2/3 of Native American lands. It also disrupted communal living, undermined tribal leadership, and contributed to the decline of Native cultures.
What did President Chester A. Arthur propose as a solution to Native American issues?
Arthur proposed treating Native Americans as U.S. citizens, providing them equal rights under the law, supporting education through Indian schools, and encouraging agricultural development to replace nomadic lifestyles.
How did the Dawes Act contribute to the destruction of Native American societies?
The Dawes Act broke up communal lands, destroyed traditional tribal structures, and led to land loss. It forced Native Americans to abandon their nomadic lifestyles and adopt farming, but with inadequate land and resources.
What impact did the U.S. government’s policies have on Native American culture?
U.S. policies, such as the Dawes Act and forced assimilation efforts, undermined Native American cultures, including their social structures, traditions, and spiritual practices, leading to cultural destruction.
What was the purpose of the Indian Appropriations Act of 1851?
The 1851 Act created the reservation system, moving Native Americans onto designated lands, largely in response to the increasing influx of white settlers onto the Great Plains.
How did the Second Indian Appropriations Act of 1871 change U.S. policy toward Native Americans?
The 1871 Act ended the formal treaty-making process with Native American tribes and declared that tribes were no longer independent nations, but “wards of the state,” thus stripping them of self-governance.
What was the role of the Bureau of Indian Affairs?
Established in 1824, the Bureau of Indian Affairs managed treaties, Native American relocation, education, and trade. Over time, it played a key role in implementing policies aimed at assimilating Native Americans and undermining tribal sovereignty.
What was the significance of the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie?
The Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851) established reservation boundaries for the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Sioux tribes, but it was one of many treaties that required Native Americans to relinquish large amounts of land.
How did the reservation system affect Native Americans?
The reservation system confined Native Americans to limited lands, destroyed their nomadic way of life, and often left them with infertile land, making it difficult to sustain their traditional economies.
What was Ulysses S. Grant’s Peace Policy?
Grant’s Peace Policy, implemented in 1869, aimed to improve relations with Native Americans by promoting reservation life and reducing military conflict. However, it failed due to poor implementation and lack of resources.
How did the Great Sioux War of 1876 relate to Grant’s Peace Policy?
The Great Sioux War was a direct result of dissatisfaction among the Sioux on reservations, particularly regarding the government’s failure to provide promised supplies and the threat to their sacred Black Hills.
What was the outcome of the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876?
General George Custer and his 7th Cavalry were defeated by a large force of Sioux and Cheyenne warriors. This victory marked a significant resistance against U.S. government policies, but it led to more aggressive military action against Native Americans.
How did the U.S. government respond to the Sioux’s resistance?
After Little Bighorn, the U.S. government significantly reduced Sioux lands, and the Lakota Sioux were forced into starvation conditions, leading most to surrender by 1877.
What was the goal of Americanization policies toward Native Americans?
Americanization aimed to assimilate Native Americans into mainstream U.S. society by breaking up tribal structures, enforcing Christianity, converting them to farming, and suppressing traditional cultural practices.
How did Americanization impact Native American children?
Native American children were sent to boarding schools where they were punished for speaking their native languages and were trained in vocational skills. They were taught to abandon their cultural heritage, but many struggled to integrate into both Native American and white societies.
How did the Civil War affect U.S. policy toward Native Americans?
After the Civil War, regular troops were available for use against Native American tribes, leading to increased military campaigns. However, many tribes continued to resist, such as the Lakota Sioux and the Apache under Geronimo.
What was the outcome of Red Cloud’s War?
Red Cloud’s War (1866-1868) was a successful resistance by the Lakota Sioux against the construction of the Powder River Road, resulting in the U.S. military retreating from the region and a temporary victory for Native Americans.
What was the Ghost Dance and why did it lead to the Wounded Knee Massacre?
The Ghost Dance was a religious movement among Native Americans that promised to restore their lost way of life. The U.S. government feared it as a threat, leading to the massacre of 300 Lakota Sioux at Wounded Knee in 1890.
