Carlisle Indian Industrial School

Definition

The Carlisle Indian Industrial School was the first federally funded off-reservation boarding school for Native American children, established in 1879 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It aimed to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-American culture by providing vocational training and education, promoting the belief that Native American culture should be eradicated in favor of mainstream American values.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Founded by Captain Richard Henry Pratt, the motto of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School was 'Kill the Indian, Save the Man,' reflecting its goal of eradicating Native American culture.
2. The school operated until 1918 and enrolled thousands of Native American children from various tribes across the United States.
3. Students at Carlisle were often forbidden to speak their native languages or practice their cultural traditions, leading to significant cultural dislocation.
4. The school emphasized vocational training, teaching skills like carpentry, farming, and sewing in an effort to prepare students for a life outside their tribal communities.
5. Many graduates struggled to reintegrate into their communities after leaving Carlisle, as they faced alienation due to the cultural changes imposed on them during their time at the school.

Review Questions

• How did the educational approach at Carlisle Indian Industrial School reflect broader federal policies toward Native Americans during this period?
  • The educational approach at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School was heavily influenced by federal policies aimed at assimilating Native Americans into Euro-American culture. The school's focus on vocational training and prohibition of Indigenous languages and practices mirrored the government's goal of eradicating Native identity and promoting conformity to Western norms. This method was part of a larger strategy that included various laws and initiatives designed to undermine tribal sovereignty and cultural heritage.
• Evaluate the impact of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School on Native American communities and their cultural identities.
  • The impact of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School on Native American communities was profound and often damaging. While some students acquired skills that could potentially improve their economic prospects, many experienced a loss of cultural identity and familial connections. The enforced assimilation stripped away traditional practices and languages, leaving lasting scars on individuals and communities. This legacy continues to affect Native American identity today, as families grapple with the repercussions of cultural dislocation.
• Assess the long-term consequences of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School model on contemporary Indigenous education systems in the United States.
  • The long-term consequences of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School model are evident in contemporary Indigenous education systems, which often strive to balance cultural preservation with academic achievement. While many modern schools aim to incorporate Indigenous perspectives and languages into their curricula, they still face challenges rooted in historical trauma from boarding schools like Carlisle. Efforts to reclaim cultural identity and promote self-determination are central themes in today's Indigenous educational initiatives, reflecting a shift towards empowering Native voices rather than enforcing assimilation.

Related terms

Assimilation: The process by which individuals or groups from one culture come to adopt the practices and beliefs of another culture, often leading to the loss of their original cultural identity.

Boarding Schools: Educational institutions that provide residence for students, often used historically to remove Indigenous children from their families and communities to promote assimilation into dominant culture.

Dawes Act: A federal law enacted in 1887 aimed at assimilating Native Americans by allotting them individual plots of land and granting U.S. citizenship, ultimately undermining tribal sovereignty.