The Dawes Severalty Act of 1887

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson writes, “He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.”

Though it is arguable, I believe that Native Americans are the most discriminated group in United States history. They have been forced into slavery, robbed of their land because of the “divine right” granted to the United States to expand its borders, encountered racism, and experienced ruthless violence in the land that they once called home, just to name a few. Most the racism experienced by Native Americans have been erased from public high school textbooks and have vanished from the majority of the population’s minds. Children are taught in school about the peaceful dinner shared between Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Native Americans, but never about the Ash Hollow Massacre.

The horrible actions taken against them can be seen through the construction of Mount Rushmore, the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Manifest Destiny, and numerous other incidents. Worst of all, on varies occasions they have been stripped of their identities. They have been told that their way of live is “uncivilized” and “savage-like”. Since Americans believe that their way is the only way, they must correct those who do not follow what they believe is right. An example includes, any war that took place to contain communism. Keeping up with the trend, preceding the Trail of Tears, Five Civilized Native American Tribes adopted American culture.

They abandoned their way of life and adapted to American customs in fear that they might lose their land and to hopefully achieve a peaceful existence with the people who caused them the most harm. The Cherokee Indians in Georgia had a court system, Republican government, slaves, higher literacy level than the majority of Georgia’s population, and even helped Andrew Jackson fight against other tribes during the War of 1812 all in an attempt to be accepted into society. Unfortunately, their determination went unseen by their criticizers’ eyes. The Indian Removal Act forcibly evacuated these five tribes from their land to Oklahoma. The expedition, traveled mostly on foot, left 100,000 innocent people dead and cost the unwilling Native Americans $6 million that was to be paid to the government. Even though the government got what they wanted, civilized Native Americans, they once again exiled them off their land and the victims were again treated like the inescapable nuisances of American society. 

In another attempt to assimilate Native Americans, the government passed the Dawes Severalty Act, also known as the General Allotment Act (1887). Sponsored by Congressman Henry Dawes of Massachusetts, the Dawes Severalty Act was designed to disassemble tribal bonds in order to “creat[e] responsible farmers in the white man’s image”. The act’s sponsors believed this could be achieved by dividing tribal reservation land. It gave 160 arces of land to the head of each Native American household or 320 acres of grazing land and 80 acres to every unmarried adult. This in turn would downsize the number of people in each family to an American socially acceptable number and diminish any ties to previous tribes. Supporters believed, such as Alice Fletcher believed “The Indian may now become a free man; free from the thralldom of the tribe; freed from the domination of the reservation system; free to enter into the body of our citizens. This bill may therefore be considered as the Magna Carta of the Indians of our country.” While a member of the Nez Perce disagreed by saying, “We do not want our land cut up in little pieces... A groan of assent ran along the dark line of Sphinxes.” Though the people who originally supported the act actually cared for the welfare of the Native Americans, it would not pass through Congress until, of course, the general public could benefit from it. It became official when the act added in that the remaining land that was not assigned to any Native American was up to grabs for the remaining population. As a result, Native American landholdings were reduced from 138 million acres in 1887 to 78 million in 1990. Along with transforming adults into Americanized farmers, children too were transformed.

While adults improved their agriculture skills, children were thrown into boarding schools. Avid supporter of the Native American boarding schools, Richard Henry Pratt once said “Transfer the savage-born infant to the surroundings of civilization and he will grow to possess a civilized language and habit . . . . Kill the Indian, Save the Man.” His philosophy was the inspiration behind the construction of the Carlisle Indian School, the first off-reservation boarding school, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The curriculum included English, history, drawing, and writing. The boys were taught blacksmithing and carpentry, while the girls were taught cooking, sewing, and baking.

Americanized learning was not the only transformation the children endured; they were also required to transform their physical appearances. The school hired barbers to cut their long hair. Unfortunately, in the Lakota tribe “the only time [they] cut [their] hair is when [they] are in mourning or when someone has died in the immediate family. [They] do this to show [they] are mourning the loss of a loved one”. Boys were given military uniforms, while girls were told to wear Victorian style dresses. The children’s ties to their families and tribes were practically severed and those caught talking in their native languages were punished.

The act was abolished by President Franklin R. Roosevelt in 1934, but the damage had already been done. For the most part, the act failed because the Native Americans could not adjust to being farmers. They lost most of their land and received little payment for the land they sold. The fortunate ones who did receive payment, spent their money quickly because they had poor money management skills. Ultimately life on the reservation was ridden with poverty, disease, and filth. 

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, today about 22% of the country’s 5.2 million Native Americans live on reservations. Some have compared their conditions to those in a Third World Country. How is it possible that Native American’s are experiencing these conditions in a country that is regarded as one of the world’s superpowers? According to Native American Aid, “Many households are overcrowded and earn only social security, disability or veteran's income. The scarcity of jobs and lack of economic opportunity mean that, depending on the reservation, four to eight out of ten adults on reservations are unemployed. Among American Indians who are employed, many are earning below poverty wages”. Also, the percentage of Native Americans on reservations that live in poverty are 38% to 63%. The health of people living on reservations is also alarming. Their life expectancy is 5 years shorter than an average American. This is because Indian Health Service, medical care used by the majority, only meets 60% of their health care needs. Another factor is the absence of pharmacies and doctor’s offices on the reservations. Other alarming statistics include:

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for American Indians (2003, Center for Disease Control).  

Due to the link between heart disease, diabetes, poverty, and quality of nutrition and health care, 36% of Natives with heart disease will die before age 65 compared to 15% of Caucasians (2001, HHS Office of Minority Health). 

American Indians are 177% more likely to die from diabetes (2011, Indian Health Disparities). 

500% are more likely to die from tuberculosis (2011, Indian Health Disparities). 

82% are more likely to die from suicide (2011, Indian Health Disparities). 

Cancer rates and disparities related to cancer treatment are higher than for other Americans (2005, Native People for Cancer Control). 

Infant death rates are 60% higher than for Caucasians (2001, HHS Office of Minority Health). [source]

Alcoholism also plagues the lives of Native Americans who live on the reservations.

America’s history is held up by the foundation of the American Dream, the dream to escape persecution, obtain freedom, prosper, and live peacefully. Unfortunately, this dream has been denied to those and their descendants who were here before the dream even existed. Throughout history Native Americans have been forced off their land and into the poverty they live in today.

Works Cited/References
"Battle of the Little Bighorn." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2014.
"Cleveland Signs Devastating Dawes Act into Law." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2014.
 "The Dawes Act 1887." NebraskaStudies.Org. Nebraska Studies, n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2014.
"Dawes General Allotment Act (United States [1887])." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2014.
"FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES." FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES. Oklahoma Historical Society, n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2014.
"Native American Living Conditions on Reservations." Native American Living Conditions on Reservations - Native American Aid. Native American Aid, n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2014.
"Racism against American Indian - Native Americans." Racism against American Indian - Native Americans. Cleveland Search, n.d. Web. 04 Jan. 2014.
"Trail of Tears." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2014.
Yu, Jane. "Kill the Indian, Save the Man." The Pennsylvania Center for the Book. Pennsylvania State University, Spring 2009. Web. 05 Jan. 2014.