lOMoARcPSD|11448692
A2 Native
Americans
Revision
Policies towards Native American civil rights developments were complicated by a lack of
clarity about what Native American rights should be and there was little agreement amongst
Native Americans about this either. 1
, lOMoARcPSD|11448692
Native American Rights Statistics
Beginning Middle End
Land Rights
and
Conditions on
the
Reservations
Amount of land 150 million acres of reservation land in Reservation land had been Reservation land had been slightly
1887 was reduced to 78 million acres by reduced to only 50 million acres increased to 52.4 million acres by 1990.
owned.
1900. by the 1930s. However, vast tracts of land remained in
dispute.
Compensation Treaties, such as the Treaty of Fort Little compensation was given Some Native Americans began to get
Laramie (1871) signed by the Sioux, for loss of land. compensation for land through the Indian
for loss of land.
promised that the federal government Claims Commission (1946-78) and Supreme
would compensate the Natives for loss Court cases.
of land, but Natives were very rarely However, the amounts that they could
compensated. claim were quite small overall and didn’t
make up for past injustice.
Type of land Natives were given poor quality land on In 1934, 20 million acres of Natives generally gained better farming
which they couldn’t farm, meaning Native American land was desert equipment, however their land was still
owned and
many died of starvation. or semi-desert, therefore inadequate.
farming. Natives didn’t have proper equipment couldn’t be farmed.
to farm with.
Economic Natives lived in extremely high poverty. The Meriam Report of 1928 By 1968, Natives still had the highest rates
reported that Native Americans of unemployment in the US (42%) and their
conditions on
were the most impoverished median income was almost half that of the
the reservations. people in the US. US as a whole.
However, in the 1970s poverty on
reservations decreased by as much as 20%
on many reservations.
Welfare aid. In 1890, of the 133,000 Native Welfare aid to Natives was A study of 19,000 Native Americans in
Americans on the reservations, 35,000 increased by President Hoover Oklahoma in 1968 indicated that almost
received rations due to age or poor (from 1929), but this was still not 50% had no welfare benefits.
quality land. enough. However, in later years welfare aid for
However these rations were not Natives increased.
enough, and many Natives starved
Health and life Native Americans suffered the highest Improved medical facilities In 1960, life expectancy for Native
level of disease in the US, including meant that Native disease levels Americans (44 years) was twenty years
expectancy.
measles, influenza and whooping decreased, but they were still below the national average (64 years).
cough. higher than the rest of the US. Natives had increased obesity and diabetes
Native Americans had higher levels of Natives continued to have higher levels, and continued to have higher levels
alcoholism than the rest of the US. levels of alcoholism than the rest of alcoholism than the rest of the US.
of the US.
Housing on the Native housing on the reservations was Native housing on the In 1970, 60% of reservation dwellings had
very poor quality. reservations was very poor no electricity and 80% had no running
reservations.
quality. water.
Housing had slightly improved by 1992, but
was still behind the rest of the US.
Population Of the 240,000 Native Americans who The number of Natives in the US The Native population increased from
inhabited the Plains in 1860, only had increased to 350,000 by 800,000 in 1970 to 1.7 million in 1990.
levels.
100,000 remained by 1900. 1941.
Birth rate. - The 1938 census indicated that The Native American birth rate was 2.5
the Native population was times the US average in 1970 (the same as
increasing at a faster rate than India).
that nationally.
Tribal Rights
and Self-
determination
2
, lOMoARcPSD|11448692
Traditions and Natives were forced to give up their Natives were generally freer to Forced assimilation was ended by Nixon in
traditions and religions, for example follow their traditions and 1968, therefore Natives were free to follow
religions.
men were forced to give up polygamy religions due to Cherokee v their traditions and religions.
and were no longer allowed to show Hitchcock (1902). Many urban Natives began returning to
their skills as hunters or healers. Native American women’s co- their reservations in the summer months to
However, Christian missionaries operatives were encouraged to take part in the long-standing tradition of
attempting to convert Native Americans produce Native arts and crafts as tribal gathering.
were largely unsuccessful and some an economic venture. However, the damage had already been
Natives continued to practise their tribal done, for example the percentage of
religions in secret. Natives speaking their tribal language was
still low and the majority no longer had
their tribal titles.
Burial rights. Sacred objects and sacred land, such as There was little or no return of Natives began to have sacred objects and
burial grounds, were often forcefully sacred objects or sacred land. sacred land returned to them (repatriation)
removed from Natives. due to legislation and Supreme Court
cases.
Self- Most reservations were controlled by Natives did not move much Many Natives gained self-determination
federal agents, who were often corrupt, closer to achieving self- due to the Indian Self-Determination Act
determination.
and Natives had little say. determination. 1975.
However, some reservations had their Some tribes gained rights to establish
own “court of offences”, where minor gambling enterprises that went against
crimes were tried and the judges were state laws.
Natives. Native American tribal governments had
The federal agents who ran that access to the same tax exemptions that the
reservations were supported by 770 states had due to the Indian Tribal
Native police officers. Governmental Tax Status Act 1983.
Citizenship
Rights and
Conditions in
the Cities
Citizenship. In 1865, Natives lacked citizenship. More Natives gained citizenship Natives retained citizenship.
Some Natives gained citizenship in the due to the Indian Citizenship Act
General Allotment Act (Dawes Act) 1924.
1887.
The right to vote. Very few Natives had the right to vote Two-thirds of Natives had the de Natives gained the de facto right to vote
due to the states using grandfather jure right to vote due to the due to the Voting Rights Act 1965, however
clauses, poll taxes, literacy tests and Indian Citizenship Act 1924. many didn’t use it.
property requirements. The vote was given to Native
Natives didn’t want the right to vote. women by the Indian
Reorganisation (Wheeler-
Howard) Act 1934.
However, few had the de facto
right to vote and few wanted it.
Native Between 1869 and 1907, there were After 1929, there were no Between 1961 and 1993, there were only
only two Senators and one Senators with Native American four Representatives with Native American
representatives
Representative with Native American ancestry until 1993. ancestry.
in government. ancestry. Between 1907 and 1952, there
were only four Representatives
with Native American ancestry.
Quality of In 1877, only $20,000 was spent on The quality of Native education In 1970, the average Native American had
Native American education by the wasn’t improved to a significant just five years of schooling and Natives had
education.
federal government. extent. the highest illiteracy rates in the US.
The curriculum was limited and clearly Between 1970 and 1990, the percentage of
designed to “Americanise” Native Natives who graduated high school
children. increased from 16.7% to 54% due to the
Poor communication meant that pupils Indian Education Act 1972 and Indian
became bored and frustrated. Education Assistance Act 1975.
Boarding schools Native children were taken away from By the interwar years, boarding Nearly all boarding school were closed and
their parents and sent to boarding schools had begun to be closed, reservation schools were built.
and removal of
schools with terrible conditions. such as by Indian Commissioner Natives had greater control over the
children from Children wore uncomfortable uniforms, Charles Rhoads (appointed in removal of Native children from their
parents. were harshly disciplined and couldn’t 1929). parents due to Fisher v Montana (1976)
take part in tribal customs. and the Welfare Act 1978.
Some ran away and returned home.
Opportunities for graduates were
limited and the vast majority simply
returned to reservation life. They were
sometimes alienated from the
communities there.
Higher It was very rare that Natives attended By the early decades of the 20th By 1990, 9% of the Native population had
higher education. century, some Native Americans achieved a bachelor’s degree or higher,
education.
moved into higher education. perhaps due to affirmative action.
3
A2 Native
Americans
Revision
Policies towards Native American civil rights developments were complicated by a lack of
clarity about what Native American rights should be and there was little agreement amongst
Native Americans about this either. 1
, lOMoARcPSD|11448692
Native American Rights Statistics
Beginning Middle End
Land Rights
and
Conditions on
the
Reservations
Amount of land 150 million acres of reservation land in Reservation land had been Reservation land had been slightly
1887 was reduced to 78 million acres by reduced to only 50 million acres increased to 52.4 million acres by 1990.
owned.
1900. by the 1930s. However, vast tracts of land remained in
dispute.
Compensation Treaties, such as the Treaty of Fort Little compensation was given Some Native Americans began to get
Laramie (1871) signed by the Sioux, for loss of land. compensation for land through the Indian
for loss of land.
promised that the federal government Claims Commission (1946-78) and Supreme
would compensate the Natives for loss Court cases.
of land, but Natives were very rarely However, the amounts that they could
compensated. claim were quite small overall and didn’t
make up for past injustice.
Type of land Natives were given poor quality land on In 1934, 20 million acres of Natives generally gained better farming
which they couldn’t farm, meaning Native American land was desert equipment, however their land was still
owned and
many died of starvation. or semi-desert, therefore inadequate.
farming. Natives didn’t have proper equipment couldn’t be farmed.
to farm with.
Economic Natives lived in extremely high poverty. The Meriam Report of 1928 By 1968, Natives still had the highest rates
reported that Native Americans of unemployment in the US (42%) and their
conditions on
were the most impoverished median income was almost half that of the
the reservations. people in the US. US as a whole.
However, in the 1970s poverty on
reservations decreased by as much as 20%
on many reservations.
Welfare aid. In 1890, of the 133,000 Native Welfare aid to Natives was A study of 19,000 Native Americans in
Americans on the reservations, 35,000 increased by President Hoover Oklahoma in 1968 indicated that almost
received rations due to age or poor (from 1929), but this was still not 50% had no welfare benefits.
quality land. enough. However, in later years welfare aid for
However these rations were not Natives increased.
enough, and many Natives starved
Health and life Native Americans suffered the highest Improved medical facilities In 1960, life expectancy for Native
level of disease in the US, including meant that Native disease levels Americans (44 years) was twenty years
expectancy.
measles, influenza and whooping decreased, but they were still below the national average (64 years).
cough. higher than the rest of the US. Natives had increased obesity and diabetes
Native Americans had higher levels of Natives continued to have higher levels, and continued to have higher levels
alcoholism than the rest of the US. levels of alcoholism than the rest of alcoholism than the rest of the US.
of the US.
Housing on the Native housing on the reservations was Native housing on the In 1970, 60% of reservation dwellings had
very poor quality. reservations was very poor no electricity and 80% had no running
reservations.
quality. water.
Housing had slightly improved by 1992, but
was still behind the rest of the US.
Population Of the 240,000 Native Americans who The number of Natives in the US The Native population increased from
inhabited the Plains in 1860, only had increased to 350,000 by 800,000 in 1970 to 1.7 million in 1990.
levels.
100,000 remained by 1900. 1941.
Birth rate. - The 1938 census indicated that The Native American birth rate was 2.5
the Native population was times the US average in 1970 (the same as
increasing at a faster rate than India).
that nationally.
Tribal Rights
and Self-
determination
2
, lOMoARcPSD|11448692
Traditions and Natives were forced to give up their Natives were generally freer to Forced assimilation was ended by Nixon in
traditions and religions, for example follow their traditions and 1968, therefore Natives were free to follow
religions.
men were forced to give up polygamy religions due to Cherokee v their traditions and religions.
and were no longer allowed to show Hitchcock (1902). Many urban Natives began returning to
their skills as hunters or healers. Native American women’s co- their reservations in the summer months to
However, Christian missionaries operatives were encouraged to take part in the long-standing tradition of
attempting to convert Native Americans produce Native arts and crafts as tribal gathering.
were largely unsuccessful and some an economic venture. However, the damage had already been
Natives continued to practise their tribal done, for example the percentage of
religions in secret. Natives speaking their tribal language was
still low and the majority no longer had
their tribal titles.
Burial rights. Sacred objects and sacred land, such as There was little or no return of Natives began to have sacred objects and
burial grounds, were often forcefully sacred objects or sacred land. sacred land returned to them (repatriation)
removed from Natives. due to legislation and Supreme Court
cases.
Self- Most reservations were controlled by Natives did not move much Many Natives gained self-determination
federal agents, who were often corrupt, closer to achieving self- due to the Indian Self-Determination Act
determination.
and Natives had little say. determination. 1975.
However, some reservations had their Some tribes gained rights to establish
own “court of offences”, where minor gambling enterprises that went against
crimes were tried and the judges were state laws.
Natives. Native American tribal governments had
The federal agents who ran that access to the same tax exemptions that the
reservations were supported by 770 states had due to the Indian Tribal
Native police officers. Governmental Tax Status Act 1983.
Citizenship
Rights and
Conditions in
the Cities
Citizenship. In 1865, Natives lacked citizenship. More Natives gained citizenship Natives retained citizenship.
Some Natives gained citizenship in the due to the Indian Citizenship Act
General Allotment Act (Dawes Act) 1924.
1887.
The right to vote. Very few Natives had the right to vote Two-thirds of Natives had the de Natives gained the de facto right to vote
due to the states using grandfather jure right to vote due to the due to the Voting Rights Act 1965, however
clauses, poll taxes, literacy tests and Indian Citizenship Act 1924. many didn’t use it.
property requirements. The vote was given to Native
Natives didn’t want the right to vote. women by the Indian
Reorganisation (Wheeler-
Howard) Act 1934.
However, few had the de facto
right to vote and few wanted it.
Native Between 1869 and 1907, there were After 1929, there were no Between 1961 and 1993, there were only
only two Senators and one Senators with Native American four Representatives with Native American
representatives
Representative with Native American ancestry until 1993. ancestry.
in government. ancestry. Between 1907 and 1952, there
were only four Representatives
with Native American ancestry.
Quality of In 1877, only $20,000 was spent on The quality of Native education In 1970, the average Native American had
Native American education by the wasn’t improved to a significant just five years of schooling and Natives had
education.
federal government. extent. the highest illiteracy rates in the US.
The curriculum was limited and clearly Between 1970 and 1990, the percentage of
designed to “Americanise” Native Natives who graduated high school
children. increased from 16.7% to 54% due to the
Poor communication meant that pupils Indian Education Act 1972 and Indian
became bored and frustrated. Education Assistance Act 1975.
Boarding schools Native children were taken away from By the interwar years, boarding Nearly all boarding school were closed and
their parents and sent to boarding schools had begun to be closed, reservation schools were built.
and removal of
schools with terrible conditions. such as by Indian Commissioner Natives had greater control over the
children from Children wore uncomfortable uniforms, Charles Rhoads (appointed in removal of Native children from their
parents. were harshly disciplined and couldn’t 1929). parents due to Fisher v Montana (1976)
take part in tribal customs. and the Welfare Act 1978.
Some ran away and returned home.
Opportunities for graduates were
limited and the vast majority simply
returned to reservation life. They were
sometimes alienated from the
communities there.
Higher It was very rare that Natives attended By the early decades of the 20th By 1990, 9% of the Native population had
higher education. century, some Native Americans achieved a bachelor’s degree or higher,
education.
moved into higher education. perhaps due to affirmative action.
3
