LAD#21- Dawes Act

In 1887 the Indian reform movement in America took action with the creation of the Dawes Severalty Act. American policy toward Native Americans has always had tension between attempts to assimilate and attempts to remove. The Dawes Act, in some ways, represents both desires. Finally, the U.S. Congress, after years of trying to satisfy pro-settlement forces and protects Native American interests, wrote and passed the Dawes Act in 1887. In the act it made established tribes to break up into individual families instead. In addition the act was set up to Americanize the Indians by making them convert to Christianity and other white customs.