Final answer:
In 1882, Congress established boarding schools to assimilate Native American children into Euro-American culture, which involved upending their traditional customs, languages, and religious practices as part of the broader effort to 'civilize' them.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1882, Congress built boarding schools to "civilize" Native Americans. These schools were part of a broader strategy of forced assimilation, aiming to strip Native American children of their cultures, languages, and traditions. The largest and most infamous boarding school was established in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The US government's assimilation policies included transforming family and communal land ownership into individual parcels, changing traditional practices, and promoting Western education and appearance. This approach culminated in the establishment of nearly 100 boarding schools across the nation, where Native American children were required to adopt English, Christian worship, and a Euro-American lifestyle. Policies such as the Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 finally began to address the historical injustices and ensure the rights of Native people to practice their cultures and reclaim their heritage.