Compare And Contrast The Dawes Act

On February 8, 1887, Congress passed the Dawes Act as a solution to the "Indian Problem." Congress viewed this conflict similar to Americans Richard H. Pratt and Carl Schurz. They had noticed the Westward Expansion campaign had become an "invasion," particularly for Native Americans. Both men believed the Natives could be saved be integrating them into western society, to "individualize them in the possession and appreciation of property," as Mr. Schurz claimed. Mr. Pratt had seen the harsh conditions of Native reservations himself, which lead him to conclude they were in desperate need of civilized education. Together with other Indian reformers, Mr. Pratt pushed Congress to feed Great Plains Native Americans into American Indian schools, where they would "kill the Indian, save the …show more content…
At least then they could practice their nomadic culture, following the buffalo within reservation borders. Yet, no one seemed to question the morality of secluding them to a foreign environment and forcing them to surrender their tribal culture, their identity. Due to few regulation policies the novice farmers had almost no assistance learning the foreign lifestyle. It's understandable Congress also ignored the possibility of Native Americans lacking enthusiasm for farming, which many did. When an effort to help the Natives was evident, Native Americans only gained more reasons to refuse to convert. In a reservation, a Native American could be arrested if suspected of wavering loyalty to the reservation or their country. couldn't report illegal confinement to court. Lacking any explanation or permission from their parents, children could be sent to American Indian schools. There, they would" march to school, march to chow, march everywhere, to church." Congress passed the Dawes Act like it benefitted everyone, but they only made their goals more