The period of confinement

Definition

The period of confinement refers to the time when the Navajo people were forcibly removed from their homelands and held in a designated area, primarily during the mid-1860s after the Long Walk. This period was marked by suffering, deprivation, and loss of life, as the Navajo faced harsh conditions and were stripped of their autonomy and cultural practices.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The period of confinement lasted approximately four years, beginning with the Long Walk in 1864 and ending when the Navajo were allowed to return to a portion of their homeland in 1868.
2. Conditions during this period were extremely harsh, with many Navajo suffering from starvation, disease, and exposure to the elements.
3. An estimated 8,000 Navajo were forced to march over 300 miles to Fort Sumner, where they were confined in inadequate living conditions.
4. The U.S. government aimed to subdue the Navajo people through this confinement as part of a broader strategy of military control and assimilation.
5. The signing of the Treaty of Bosque Redondo in 1868 marked the end of the confinement period and allowed for some restoration of Navajo land and governance.

Review Questions

• What were the main impacts of the period of confinement on the Navajo population?
  • The period of confinement had devastating impacts on the Navajo population, resulting in significant loss of life due to starvation and disease. Many families were torn apart, and cultural practices were disrupted as they were forced into unfamiliar living conditions. The trauma from this experience continues to resonate within Navajo communities today, highlighting the long-lasting effects of such forced relocation.
• How did the U.S. government's policies contribute to the hardships experienced during the period of confinement?
  • The U.S. government's policies aimed at subjugating and assimilating the Navajo people directly contributed to their hardships during the period of confinement. By forcibly removing them from their homelands and confining them in Fort Sumner, authorities disregarded their traditional ways of life, leading to food shortages and inadequate shelter. The lack of resources and support further exacerbated suffering among the Navajo, as their autonomy was stripped away.
• Evaluate the significance of the Treaty of Bosque Redondo in shaping post-confinement life for the Navajo people.
  • The Treaty of Bosque Redondo was significant because it formally ended the period of confinement for the Navajo and allowed them to return to a portion of their ancestral lands. This treaty marked a pivotal moment in restoring some degree of self-governance and cultural continuity for the Navajo people. However, it also came with stipulations that continued to affect their sovereignty, illustrating how treaties often contained complexities that shaped future interactions between Native Americans and the federal government.

Related terms

Long Walk:

The Long Walk was the forced relocation of the Navajo people from their ancestral lands to a distant reservation in New Mexico, lasting from 1864 to 1866.

Fort Sumner:

Fort Sumner was the military outpost in New Mexico where many Navajos were held during their period of confinement after the Long Walk.

Diné: Diné is the term used by the Navajo people to refer to themselves, meaning 'the People' in their native language.