Dawes Act (General Allotment Act)

The Dawes Act of 1887 was a U.S. law aimed at transforming Native American communal landholdings into individual parcels. The government allotted specific plots of land to Native American families, intending to encourage assimilation into mainstream American society and agriculture. Surplus land not allocated to tribes was sold to non-Native settlers. While it temporarily increased individual land ownership for some, the policy often resulted in significant loss of Native land, undermining tribal landholdings, culture, and sovereignty. The act had long-lasting negative impacts on Native communities, contributing to widespread land dispossession and social disruption.