Question

Explain how you think forced assimilation affected the Native Americans?

Answer 1

Forced assimilation greatly affected Native Americans by traumatizing Native students, suppressing their cultural identity, and impoverishing tribes through the Dawes Act.

Step-by-step explanation:

Forced assimilation had a significant impact on Native Americans. Reformers, influenced by Americanization policies, sought to assimilate Native Americans into Euro-American culture by removing Native children from their homes and placing them in boarding schools. These schools aimed to suppress Native traditions, language, and customs, and instead promote Euro-American values and beliefs.

As a result, Native American children were traumatized, and their cultural identity and self-esteem were undermined. Moreover, the Dawes Act further impacted Native Americans by dividing and selling tribal lands to settlers, which led to poverty and the loss of autonomy for Native tribes.

The forced assimilation policies began to change with the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, which promoted autonomy for Native American tribes and allowed them to govern their own reservations.

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

Cultural Loss: Forced assimilation policies, such as the Indian boarding school system in the United States, aimed to eradicate Native American cultures, languages, and traditions. Children were taken from their families and communities, forbidden to speak their languages or practice their customs. This led to a significant loss of cultural identity and knowledge, severing connections to their heritage and traditional ways of life.

Social Disruption: Removal from their communities and forced assimilation practices resulted in severe social disruption. Families and communities were fractured, causing deep emotional and psychological scars that continue to affect Native communities today.

Loss of Autonomy: Policies aimed at assimilation often stripped Native Americans of their autonomy and self-governance. Treaties were broken, lands were taken, and traditional governance systems were undermined, leaving many communities without their means of self-determination.

Health and Economic Challenges: Forced assimilation led to economic hardships as traditional ways of sustenance were disrupted. Additionally, the imposition of unfamiliar living conditions in boarding schools often resulted in poor health, both physical and mental, among Native American children and adults.

Inter-generational Trauma: The effects of forced assimilation continue to reverberate through generations. Trauma resulting from these policies has been passed down, impacting the mental health, social dynamics, and well-being of Native American communities.

Overall, forced assimilation had devastating consequences for Native American cultures, communities, and individuals, contributing to a long-standing legacy of marginalization, cultural loss, and ongoing challenges in Native communities striving to preserve their heritage and recover from historical injustices.