Key topic 3: Later developments in the West, c1876–c1895 - 3 Indigenous…

The idea

By the late 19th century, US government attitudes shifted from treating Indigenous tribes as separate nations to forcing their assimilation as individual American citizens. This change culminated in the Dawes Act of 1887, which aimed to break the tribal bond by abolishing communal land ownership. The Act divided reservations into individual allotments, typically granting 160 acres to a family head to encourage independent farming. Crucially, any 'surplus' land left over after allotment was sold to white settlers, resulting in a massive loss of Indigenous territory. The Dawes Act was highly significant as it legally dismantled the tribal structure and plunged many Indigenous families into deeper poverty.

What earns the marks

• Identify the shift in government policy from negotiating treaties with sovereign tribes to enforcing individual assimilation.
• Explain the mechanics of the Dawes Act (1887), specifically the division of communal reservation land into 160-acre individual family allotments.
• Analyse the impact of the Dawes Act on Indigenous landholdings, noting that millions of acres of 'surplus' land were sold to white settlers.
• Evaluate the cultural significance of the Dawes Act in destroying the traditional tribal structure and communal way of life.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Confusing the Dawes Act with the Homestead Act.

  Put it right: The Homestead Act (1862) gave land to settlers, whereas the Dawes Act (1887) broke up Indigenous reservations into individual allotments.

• Stating the Dawes Act was designed to help Indigenous peoples keep their land.

  Put it right: While framed as a civilising measure, its primary effect was to free up surplus reservation land for white settlement.

• Ignoring the concept of communal ownership.

  Put it right: Explicitly contrast the traditional Indigenous belief in communal land with the government's imposition of private property.

Exam tips

• Always link the Dawes Act to the broader government goal of 'assimilation' and the destruction of tribal identity.
• Highlight the economic failure of the Dawes Act by noting that many Indigenous people, lacking farming equipment and facing poor soil, were forced to sell their allotments.
• Use the phrase 'allotment system' when describing how the Dawes Act functioned in practice.