What Was The Dawes Act Of 1887

The Dawes Act was also known as the General Allotment Act of 1887. The purpose of the act was to treat the Native Americans as individuals rather than members of their tribes. The Dawes act was created to encourage the Native American tribes to split up. The Native Americans would be given the land and tools they needed if they became farmers. The Act would teach the Native Americans to be equal like the rest of the American population. For example, children of the Native American ethnicity were sent to boarding school where they would be taught to be like a white person. The Dawes act was a way for the individuals of the Native American tribes to receive citizenship. Once an individual received his or her allotment, it meant that they were