Blog Post 4

In the article, "DESTROYING A Culture," published in Cobblestone, the author Pauline Bickford-Duane explains how then U.S. government destroyed the Native American culture. They spent nearly 100 years trying to develop a policy that worked and crafted more than 400 agreements with the natives. In 1871, most natives were restricted to life on one, large reservation. Senator Henry L. Dawes suggested breaking up reservation land into smaller sections. That was an effort hoping to make native people accustomed to living more like American families. The Dawes Act forced Native Americans to adopt American customs, language, and clothing. Congress claimed that The Dawes Act protected native property rights, but cut native acreage by 56%. After being forced into boarding schools, many Native American children died after being exposed to diseases they weren't immunized for. They were assigned American names, and given western-styled clothing to wear. Their cultural long hair was forbidden in the schools. The children were punished for speaking their native language or practicing native traditions. Administrators were hoping Native American children would forget their native culture and adopt the America culture. The Meriam Report exposed terrible conditions that were happening at the boarding schools. The Indian Reorganization Act grants rights to the Native Americans, including control of their land. The first 20 years the act was passed, the Native Americans reclaimed more than 2 million acres. Many people are still having seconds thoughts about the effectiveness of The Indian Reorganization Act.

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Indian boarding schools are cruel. How would Americans like to be forced into Indian schools and forced to learn Indian cultures. Every one should be able to live with their own culture. They should be able to believe in what they do and live how they  want. No one should be punished for what their family has taught them to believe. Americans are very cruel to any culture except their own. Not every one knows the American culture; especially the people that migrate to the U.S.