Dawes Act

Definition

The Dawes Act, passed in 1887, was a federal law aimed at assimilating Native Americans into American society by allotting them individual plots of land and granting them U.S. citizenship. This act intended to break up tribal communal landholdings, promoting individual land ownership and agricultural development, which reflected broader policies of assimilation and cultural erasure during that era. The Dawes Act had profound impacts on the transition from oral to written literature, as many Native American tribes began documenting their histories and cultures in written form in response to these changes.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Dawes Act aimed to assimilate Native Americans into mainstream American society by promoting individual land ownership over communal living.
2. Under the Dawes Act, tribes lost over 90 million acres of their land, significantly reducing their territorial holdings and resources.
3. While the act provided a pathway to citizenship for some Native Americans, many were still excluded or faced numerous barriers in gaining full rights.
4. The Dawes Act marked a shift from previous treaties that recognized Native American sovereignty, laying the groundwork for future policies that would further erode tribal authority.
5. The aftermath of the Dawes Act influenced Native American literature as tribes began to articulate their experiences and histories through written forms, often as acts of resistance against cultural erasure.

Review Questions

• How did the Dawes Act influence the transition from oral traditions to written literature among Native American communities?
  • The Dawes Act forced many Native American tribes to confront a changing cultural landscape that emphasized individualism over communal identity. As tribal lands were divided and many Indigenous people faced assimilation pressures, there was a need to document their histories and cultural narratives in written form. This transition allowed for a preservation of identity through literature, highlighting resilience against erasure while providing a means of advocating for their rights and recognition.
• Discuss the implications of the Dawes Act on Native American sovereignty and how this connects to later advocacy efforts.
  • The Dawes Act fundamentally undermined Native American sovereignty by imposing individual land ownership and disregarding traditional communal practices. As tribes lost vast amounts of land and resources, this created a context for later advocacy efforts aimed at restoring tribal rights and lands. The narrative surrounding these struggles became an important element in Native American literature, reflecting both historical grievances and contemporary movements for justice and recognition.
• Evaluate the long-term effects of the Dawes Act on Native American identity and literature, considering its role in shaping modern Indigenous narratives.
  • The long-term effects of the Dawes Act have been profound in shaping Native American identity and literature. By forcing tribes into a framework that favored individualism over collective identity, it created a complex relationship with heritage and modernity. Writers have used literature as a platform to address historical trauma stemming from policies like the Dawes Act, fostering a rich narrative tradition that asserts cultural pride while critiquing systemic injustices. This ongoing dialogue within literature continues to shape contemporary Indigenous movements and their expressions.

Related terms

Allotment: The process of distributing specific parcels of land to individual Native Americans under the Dawes Act, aiming to replace communal landholding with private ownership.

Assimilation: The process through which Native Americans were pressured to adopt Western culture and societal norms, often leading to the loss of traditional practices and identities.

Indian Reorganization Act:

A 1934 law that aimed to reverse some of the damage caused by the Dawes Act by restoring tribal sovereignty and encouraging self-governance among Native American tribes.