LAD #25: The Dawes Act

The Dawes Act of 1887 was primarily calling for the protection of Indian reservations. The government  carried the Dawes Act out peacefully by allowing the natives to maintain a large enough section, which was based upon age and family size. The Dawes Act created provisional lines that allowed for each tribe to maintain a certain amount of land which limited the number of tribal disputes. The U.S. government in order to ensure complete Native American happiness gave them patents saying the land would remain theirs as long as they did not leave the Country. During this time their economic activity would be watched carefully and the Government could distribute land for homes, irrigation systems, and educational facilities. Finally, citizenship was offered to all Natives who agreed to follow the act followed the laws, and were born within the borders of the United States. Unfortunately, the act did not apply to all native tribes, specifically, the tribes moved by Jackson and the Seneca Nation in New York.