A Level History - America - Practice Exam

What did the Dawes Act aim to accomplish?

1. To eliminate reservations entirely

2. To distribute reservation land to individual Native American owners

3. To promote communal land ownership among tribes

4. To provide monetary compensation for loss of land

The correct answer is: To distribute reservation land to individual Native American owners

The Dawes Act, enacted in 1887, aimed primarily to distribute reservation land to individual Native American owners. This legislation was part of a broader effort to assimilate Native Americans into American society by encouraging them to adopt individual land ownership practices, which were more in line with Euro-American norms. By allotting individual parcels of land to Native Americans, the government sought to undermine communal land holdings typical of many tribes and reduce the overall size of reservations. Under the Dawes Act, each Native American family was allocated a specific amount of land (usually 160 acres) while excess land was sold to non-Native settlers. This was intended to promote agriculture among Native Americans, encouraging them to cultivate the land and contribute to the economy. The policy reflected a belief at the time that if Native Americans could become landowners, they would more readily assimilate into American culture and abandon traditional tribal ways. This approach had significant ramifications for Native American communities, often resulting in loss of communal land and a decrease in tribal sovereignty. While the intention was to integrate Native Americans into American society, the consequences frequently included poverty and disruption of traditional ways of life.