Surplus lands refer to the parcels of land that remain after the allotment of land to individual Native American families under the Dawes Act of 1887. This policy aimed to assimilate Native Americans into American society by dividing communal tribal lands into individual plots, leaving excess land that was subsequently opened up for non-Native settlement and exploitation. The concept highlights the significant loss of tribal land and the impact of U.S. policies that sought to diminish Native sovereignty and traditional ways of life.
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