LAD #25

 Summary of the Dawes Act of 1877

The Dawes Act was passed in 1877 and was concerned with the handling of Native American land.  The act took the Native American’s land and split it into shares as individual properties. In order to determine how much land was granted to an individual, their age, gender, and family status would be used. Each person was given land with the head of the family receiving 1/4 of the land. However, this land was still controlled by the government, so they did not get to keep the it. The spots were predetermined so Native Americans had to go to the area specifically set aside for them. Anyone who wasn't given an area of land was allowed to live anywhere else in the U.S.  This could occur at any time if the President decided land was beneficial to agriculture. With the Dawes Act, it was now legal for the government to purchase the land and sell it to American citizens in order to settle it. The Act also gave Native Americans equal rights and benefits under American law but pushed for assimilation and the Native Americans were expected to adopt white culture. Finally, the Act gave the government the right to place transportation methods such as railroads and highways on land given to Native Americans.