Final answer:
American Indians in the 19th century resisted land encroachment and cultural assimilation through collective action, ignoring imposed land allotments, and forming a national tribal government. Despite efforts to assimilate Native Americans into American society, including through Christianization and boarding schools, these resistance strategies demonstrated their resilience and determination to maintain their culture and identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the 19th century, American Indians employed various strategies to resist encroachment and assimilation into American society. They faced numerous obstacles, including the loss of their ancestral lands through forced treaties and removals, which ultimately led to a loss of their culture and traditional way of life. Tribes like the Prairie Potawatomi continued to live communally despite individual plot allotments, and over twenty Indian nations convened in 1888 to form a national tribal government, though it faced heavy resistance and thwarting by the U.S. government. Furthermore, the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 marked a significant policy shift from assimilation to granting Native American peoples more autonomy.
Despite the relentless push for assimilation through tactics like individual land ownership, enforced education in boarding schools away from families, and Christianity, Native Americans resisted in both passive and active forms. Some like the Prairie Potawatomi ignored the division of their land and continued communal living, while politically, attempts were made to form a collective entity to represent national interests—albeit with limited success due to federal government opposition.
By using strategic disregard for imposed policies and building collective action, American Indians persistently fought against the loss of sovereignty and culture. However, the efficacy of these efforts was often curtailed by the overwhelming institutional power of the U.S. government's policies and military force. Nonetheless, this resistance is a testament to the resilience and determination of Native American tribes to maintain their identity and way of life despite systemic efforts aimed at their cultural erasure.