Blog #25: The Dawes Act

Congress enacted the Dawes Act in 1887 and it allocated lands to Indians on different reservations. This act allowed the president to be able to divide up common or tribal lands so that an individual can own them. A portion of this land is given to the head of each family, every person over 18, every orphan under 18 and all the people under 18 born before the Dawes act. The Dawes Act gave the government the power to reserve needed land and the ability to distribute this land to American settlers who were moving out west. The act also gave Native Americans who were not on a reservation equal land as well. One large advantage to this act was that the holder of the land given to them under the Dawes act would become a US Citizen. However, there were many tribes that were left out of the Dawes Act agreement such as the Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Seminoles, Osage, Miamies, Peorias, Sacs and the Foxes.

The Homestead Act of 1862 was another act that gave land to Americans moving out west.