"Good Intentions"

The Dawes Act 1887 promised to grant Indians protection of laws, give them private ownership of land, give them the right to US citizenship and make all the rights/privileges (that come with citizenship) applicable to them.

In return for these rights, Indians...

• were expected to assimilate into American culture
• gave up most of their land once "enrolled" into citizenship
• were expected to farm on their land 

Outcome

• Corruption: land was left over ( more than what was given to the Indians)
• Farming was not a "way of life" for some Indians- some refused.
• Tribes who wanted to farm could not afford the materials
• Also could not afford to pay land taxes
• Assimilation into US culture was executed poorly by the Americans

The act proved more successful to White-Americans rather than the Indians. Why?

Untitled Slide

• The left over land was not given back to the Indians
• Many had to abandon their way of life/culture 
• Most Indians could not afford to pay for their land 
• ^ Thus causing them to give up more land. 

I think the most unfortunate outcome of the Dawes Act dealt with Indians abandoning their culture. They had to adjust to something totally different than what they knew/grew up with.

The Dawes Act