Final answer:
Native Americans were moved to reservations for reasons including the desire for land, assimilation efforts, and the poverty and dependency caused by restricted access to resources.
Step-by-step explanation:
Native Americans were moved to reservations throughout the West for several reasons:
- The desire for land: As White Americans and European immigrants moved westward after the Civil War, the demand for land increased. Reservations were seen as prime locations for farming, mining, and cattle ranching, which led to the displacement of Native Americans from their ancestral lands.
- Assimilation efforts: The US government aimed to assimilate Native Americans into American society by restricting their traditional way of life. Native children were sent to boarding schools, where they were forced to abandon their culture and speak English.
- Poverty and dependency: Reservation lands were often poor in quality and not suitable for economic development. Native communities faced high poverty rates due to a lack of jobs and natural resources. This dependency on the federal government's Bureau of Indian Affairs further marginalized Native Americans.