Final answer:
Assimilation in the United States has fluctuated between being a peaceful process of immigration to more forceful methods, particularly with Native Americans and others facing barriers such as anti-miscegenation laws.
Step-by-step explanation:
​When examining the development of the United States and its treatment of minority groups, we can identify periods where assimilation played varying roles, sometimes being a relatively peaceful process while in other instances being quite aggressive. For example, during the era of large-scale immigration between 1890 and 1920, assimilation was chiefly a function of immigration, with many immigrants voluntarily adopting the characteristics of the dominant American culture after facing extended periods of prejudice and discrimination.
However, there were more forceful approaches to assimilation as well, particularly about Native Americans. The federal government established boarding schools, such as the one in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, with the explicit goal of forcing Native-American children to adopt white values and beliefs, often stripping them of their cultural identity.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has complex ramifications, simultaneously contributing to the 'melting pot' of American society while also leading to stereotyping and prejudice. The barriers to assimilation have historically been higher for certain groups, influenced by anti-miscegenation laws and social attitudes, which impeded integration through measures like intermarriage.