Transcript American Indian Policy

American Indian Policy
The History of Sovereign Nations in dealings with the
United States
Sovereignty
•Sovereignty is:
•The ability of a group to act as an independent nation
•Make own laws
•Conduct own business without approval
Policy in Stages (1770-Today)
•1770: Sovereign Nation to Sovereign Nation
•Treaties were signed
•1830: Removal
•1850: Reservations
•1870: Assimilation
•1930: Indian self-rule
•1950: Termination
•1960: Self-determination
•1988: Self-determination/self-governance
1770- 1820: Sovereignty
•Promotion of civilization
•Open trade
•Territorial boundaries established
•Treaties
•Johnson v. McIntosh (1823)
•Doctrine of “Discovery”
1830-1850: Removal
•Broken treaties
•Removal was voluntary but coerced
•Cherokee “Trail of Tears”
•Federalism under attack
•Who had jurisdiction? Federal gov or State gov?
•Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
•Worcester v. Georgia
•“Domestic Dependent Nations”
1850-1890: Reservation
Discovery of Gold/Continued Expansion
•Homestead Act 1862
•Reservations
•Allotment
•Allotment Act (Dawes Act) 1887
•Indian Agents
•Restrictions
•Constraints on hunting, ceremonial dances
1870-1930: Assimilation
•Boarding Schools
•Christian names
•English
•Trade Schools
•Meriam Report
•Churches/Missions
Native American Enlistment in WWI
US Citizenship 1924
1930-1950: Indian Self-Rule
•Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) 1934
•Attempt to preserve, protect and support tribal art,
culture and social organizations and traditions
•Main goal was to stop the loss of tribal land
•25% of Native American men enlist in WWII-highest
percentage of any group
1950-1960: Termination
•1945-1960 the Federal Government terminated 109
tribes.
•The belief was that tribes were acculturated and no
longer needed the government as their ‘trustee’
•1.3 million acres of land and impacted 11,000 +
people
•Terminated benefits and support services for tribes
•Now under state law
•Mass movement from tribal family groups to urban
centers to seek employment
1960-1988: Self-determination
•Fishing rights
•AIM
•Occupation of Alcatraz (1969)
•Trail of Broken Treaties (1973)
•Occupation of Wounded Knee (1973)
•Marches, boycotts, demonstration
•Indian Civil Rights Act (1968)
1988-today: Self-determination &
self-governance
•1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
•1990 Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act
•Obama: Tribal Leaders’ Summit
•2009 and 2011