Missionary efforts

Definition

Missionary efforts refer to the organized activities aimed at spreading religious beliefs, particularly Christianity, among indigenous peoples. In the context of federal assimilation programs and policies like the Dawes Act, these efforts were intertwined with the goal of assimilating Native Americans into Euro-American culture by promoting Christianity as a means to transform their traditional lifestyles and social structures.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Missionary efforts were often supported by federal policies that sought to integrate Native Americans into mainstream American society during the late 19th century.
2. Many missionaries viewed their work as a moral duty, believing that converting Native Americans to Christianity would improve their lives and help them adapt to European-American ways.
3. Missionary schools were established to educate Native American children in both academics and Christian teachings, often suppressing indigenous languages and cultures in the process.
4. Opposition to missionary efforts arose among some Native American groups who saw these activities as a threat to their cultural identity and traditional practices.
5. Missionary efforts played a significant role in promoting the idea of 'civilizing' Native Americans, which was a key component of broader federal assimilation strategies during this period.

Review Questions

• How did missionary efforts align with federal assimilation programs during the late 19th century?
  • Missionary efforts aligned closely with federal assimilation programs by serving as a tool for promoting Christian values and Euro-American cultural norms among Native Americans. These programs, like the Dawes Act, aimed to break down tribal structures and encourage individual land ownership. Missionaries often advocated for education and conversion as essential elements of this assimilation process, believing that adopting Christianity would facilitate the integration of Native Americans into mainstream society.
• In what ways did missionary schools impact Native American children during the assimilation period?
  • Missionary schools had a profound impact on Native American children by providing education that emphasized Christian teachings and Euro-American cultural values. These institutions aimed to erase indigenous languages and traditions, promoting instead a curriculum designed to shape students into 'civilized' individuals according to Western standards. This often resulted in a loss of cultural identity among students, creating tensions within families and communities as traditional practices were undermined.
• Evaluate the long-term effects of missionary efforts on Native American communities and their cultural identities.
  • The long-term effects of missionary efforts on Native American communities have been significant and complex. While some individuals embraced Christianity and integrated aspects of it into their lives, many communities experienced lasting damage to their cultural identities due to the aggressive nature of these efforts. The suppression of native languages, traditions, and social structures led to a legacy of intergenerational trauma. Additionally, contemporary movements among Native American groups often involve reclaiming traditional beliefs and practices in response to historical attempts at erasure through missionary activities.

Related terms

Assimilation: The process through which individuals or groups adopt the cultural norms of another group, often resulting in the loss of their original cultural identity.

Dawes Act: A U.S. law enacted in 1887 that aimed to assimilate Native Americans by allotting them individual plots of land and granting them U.S. citizenship, undermining communal tribal lands.

Christianization: The process of converting individuals or communities to Christianity, often involving cultural and social changes in the communities being targeted.