Question

What good intentions might the government officials have had in implementing the policy of Americanization? What negative effects might such a policy have on children put through such an education?

Answer 1

1.

Government officials might have honestly felt that Americanization was the best way to ensure success in American society. The officials may have had an ignorant view of culture leading them to believe that American culture was superior to Native culture.

2.

Such an education could create shame about one’s own culture.

It turned people within the same tribe against each other.

It might help destroy culture that existed for centuries.

Answer 2

Through the policy of Americanization, U.S. government officials have joined immigrants and their descendants to engage in common democratic ideals and constitutional principles. People from an incredible wide range of ethnic and religious settings have adopted these ideals. This process called Americanization means "to become a part of the republic".

Such process mostly affects children when there is a clash of cultures between their adoption of American customs and values and the familiar customs and values inherited. The child might only feel identified with American stereotypes, American language (English), American celebration days, etc. This implies that there has been an unnatural rupture of parental values and control, and this can cause many serious problems such as the wearing out of family ties, a lack of true identity, depression, and more.