What was the purpose of the Dawes Severalty Act?
A) It was designed to sever ties the Native Americans had with Canada.
B) It gave individual Indians up to 520 acres of land.
C) It made the KKK illegal.
D) It sought to "Americanize" Indians by dealing with them as individuals.
E) It made Native Americans U.S. citizens.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Dawes Severalty Act was passed in 1887 with the aim of "Americanizing" Native Americans by breaking up their communal landholdings and giving individual Indians up to 160 acres of land. The idea was that by forcing Native Americans to adopt a more individualistic way of life, they would become assimilated into American society. This approach was largely unsuccessful and had devastating effects on Native American communities.

What Was the Purpose of the Dawes Severalty Act