Dawes Act

The Dawes Act, enacted in 1887, aimed to assimilate Native Americans into American society by allocating individual plots of land to them, rather than recognizing their communal tribal lands. Each Native American family received a specific acreage, while surplus lands were sold to non-Native settlers. The act intended to promote farming and reduce tribal influence, but it often resulted in the loss of Native American land and culture. In the long run, the Dawes Act contributed to the fragmentation of tribal communities and widespread poverty among Native Americans, ultimately undermining the goals of integration and self-sufficiency.