The federal policy was to civilize “savage” nomadic Indians and turn them into American farmers and ranchers. This federal policy also had the specific goals of breaking up tribal ownership of land, opening the reservations for settlement by white Americans, and destroying tribal governments.

What was the goal of the Indian policy?

Based upon the Doctrine of Discovery, the primary goal of early federal Indian policy was to engage in diplomatic relations with Indians while controlling trade and commerce and restricting the sale of tribal land sales to the federal government exclusively.

What was the main goal of federal Indian policy from the late 1880s?

In 1887, after several years of debate and controversy, Congress passed the General Allotment Act, or “Dawes Act,” and President Cleveland signed it into law. The goal of the policy was to break down tribal relationships and hasten Native assimilation into mainstream society.

How did the federal government’s Indian policy change between 1876 and 1900?

The federal government’s Indian policy between 1876 and 1900 was characterized by: a movement to end Indian power and culture. The philosophy of the New South advocates stressed: a policy promoting industrialization of the southern economy.

What was a goal of federal Indian policy during the period from 1870 to 1900?

Federal Indian policy during the period from 1870 to 1900 marked a departure from earlier policies that were dominated by removal, treaties, reservations, and even war. The new policy focused specifically on breaking up reservations by granting land allotments to individual Native Americans.

What were the federal Indian policies?

Some scholars divide the federal policy toward Indians in six phases: coexistence (1789–1828), removal and reservations (1829–1886), assimilation (1887–1932), reorganization (1932–1945), termination (1946–1960), and self-determination (1961–1985).

What were the three main goals of the Indian Act?

The Indian Act was created to assimilate Indigenous peoples into mainstream society and contained policies intended to terminate the cultural, social, economic, and political distinctiveness of Indigenous peoples.

What were two of the main goals of the Indian Removal Act of 1830?

The goal was to remove all American Indians living in existing states and territories and send them to unsettled land in the west.

What was the federal Indian policy in the 19th century?

For most of the middle part of the 19th century, the U.S. government pursued a policy known as “allotment and assimilation.” Pursuant to treaties that were often forced upon tribes, common reservation land was allotted to individual families.

What was the main focus of federal Indian policy during the first half of the 1800s?

During the early 1800s the U.S. government adopted policies aimed at acculturating and assimilating Indians into European-American society. The policy of assimilation was an attempt to destroy traditional Indian cultural identities.

How has the Indian Act changed since 1876?

The Indian Act has been reformed many times since 1876. Over the years, its most offensive clauses were repealed or altered, including those restricting the movement of individuals outside of reserves, outlawing indigenous ceremonies, and discriminating against women.

How did the federal government’s policy toward the Indians change after 1870?



The practice of treating Indian tribes as sovereign nations was ended in 1871 when Congress approved the Indian Appropriations Act, which made them individuals and legally designated “wards” of the federal government.

What were the changes made after the Indian Act was implemented?

A new and revised Indian Act was given royal assent on 20 June 1951. The resulting overhaul removed some of the most offensive political, cultural and religious restrictions. For example, bans on ceremonies like the potlatch and sun dance were removed.

What was the goal of the federal government’s policy toward Native American Indians in the late 1800’s?

The Dawes Act



Between 1887 and 1933, US government policy aimed to assimilate Indians into mainstream American society.

What was the federal policy toward the Plains Indians in the 1860s and 1870s *?

Beginning in the 1860s, the federal government’s policy was to establish small tracts of land for specific tribes and encourage them to take up agriculture. While many tribes did settle peacefully on such reservations, others resisted giving up their lands and way of life.

What was the federal land policy between 1800 and 1840?



The Harrison Land Act of 1800 created the framework for US public land policy for twenty years. Under the act, half sections of 320 acres were to be sold at two dollars per acre, and purchases were allowed on credit.

What did the Indian Appropriations Act of 1889 do?

The U.S. Congress passes the Indian Appropriations Act, creating the reservation system. The government forces Native peoples to move to and live on reservations, where it can better subdue them. Native peoples find themselves severely restricted in their ability to hunt, fish, and gather their traditional foods.

Why is the Indian Act of 1876 important?

The Indian Act Comes to Power, 1876



These powers restricted Indigenous freedoms and allowed officials to determine Indigenous rights and benefits based on “good moral character.” The Indian Act attempted to generalize a vast and varied population of people and assimilate them into non-Indigenous society.

What changed in 1985 Indian Act?

In 1985, the Indian Act was amended through Bill C-31 to eliminate discriminatory provisions and ensure compliance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the charter). As part of these changes: Indian women who married a non-Indian man no longer lost their Indian status.