Study Notes
Dawes Act 1887
- Level:
- GCSE
- Board:
- Edexcel
Last updated 24 Oct 2017
The 1887 Dawes Act was essentially the Homestead Act for Plains Indians. Each Plains Indian family was allotted 160-acre homesteads from their reservation land. Any leftover land was freed up for white settlers to buy. The aim of the act was to break up the power of the tribe by encouraging individual families to farm for themselves, rather than relying on the structure of the tribe.
The 1887 Dawes Act was essentially the Homestead Act for Plains Indians. Each Plains Indian family was allotted 160-acre homesteads from their reservation land. Any leftover land was freed up for white settlers to buy. The aim of the act was to break up the power of the tribe by encouraging individual families to farm for themselves, rather than relying on the structure of the tribe. It also aimed to make Plains Indians more self-sufficient, encourage Plains Indians to be more like white-Americans, and free up more land for white settlers.
From the US government’s perspective, the act was successful. By 1890, Plains Indians had lost over half of their lands to whites. For Plains Indians however, life became even tougher. They found it almost impossible to make a living farming on the Plains. Most gave up trying to farm, sold their land to whites for little money and became landless.
You might also like
The Permanent Indian Frontier
Study Notes
Indian Appropriations Act 1851
Study Notes
The Fort Laramie Treaty 1851
Study Notes
Significance of the Fort Laramie Treaty 1851
Study Notes
Impact of the American Civil War
Study Notes
The Homestead Act
Study Notes
The Homestead Act Significance
Study Notes
The Pacific Railroad Act 1862
Study Notes