Final answer:
In the 1870s, the US government's approach to Native American policy shifted towards encouraging assimilation, most notably through the Dawes Act of 1887. Despite resistance, this policy period led to significant tribal land loss and undermined sovereignty until the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 started to reverse these policies and restore some tribal autonomy.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the 1870s, the US government took a new approach to how it treated indigenous people by encouraging assimilation. This policy shift was evident in actions such as the implementation of the Dawes Act of 1887, which aimed to transition Native Americans from communal living on reservations to living on individual allotments of land and adopting the American way of life, including farming practices.
Simultaneously, Native American children were forcibly sent to boarding schools where they were expected to learn English and abandon their traditional cultures. Despite the Dawes Act being framed as beneficial by providing free land to Native Americans, it led to a significant loss of tribal land and autonomy, as additional lands were sold to White settlers and U.S. citizenship was imposed, undermining tribal sovereignty.
The policy transition also reflected the ongoing displacement of Native Americans throughout the 19th century, with land treaties frequently broken by white settlers while the federal government rarely enforced them. The approach culminated in the late 1800s with legislation like the Curtis Act of 1898, which further eroded tribal governments and sovereignty. However, resistance to these policies was substantial, with some tribes attempting to maintain communal practices and forming alliances to protect their interests.
In response to the long-term impacts of assimilation policies, the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 eventually sought to restore some degree of autonomy to Native American tribes. The Act reversed the allotment process, reduced the number of boarding schools, and allowed tribes to elect tribal councils to govern their reservations, marking a significant shift away from forced assimilation toward recognizing tribal self-governance.