"Land and the Identity of Native Americans: A Reading of the 'Dawes Act' and Its Implications (1887-1906)"

Document Type : Original Article

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Department of History - Faculty of Arts - South Valley University - Qena

Abstract

The "Indian problem" for the U.S. government in the late 18th century was summarized in several key areas, including—though not limited to—religion, education, and law. However, the most crucial issue of all was land. The Native Americans’ connection to the land was a fundamental part of their heritage and a key component of their identity. Starting in 1789, the U.S. government began signing treaties with various tribes in order to acquire their lands in exchange for specific services such as healthcare, education, and the provision of material and financial aid. Nevertheless, these treaties did not put an end to the ongoing tensions between the two sides, tensions that came to be historically and politically known as “The Indian Question.”
This research aims to shed light on the expansionist tendencies of the United States by examining the Dawes Act, which stands as one of the most prominent early "Americanization" policies imposed on Native Americans and immigrants during the early decades of the twentieth century. The study seeks to answer several questions: What is the historical context of the Dawes Act? Was the U.S. government the sole beneficiary of the Act, or were there other parties who profited? What were the objectives of the Act? Was its true aim to eliminate the collective identity of Native Americans, or to serve the ambitions of investors? Did the Dawes Act actually achieve its goals? And did the government succeed through this Act in solving the “Indian problem” or not?

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