The Assault on American Indian Life and Culture
About this episode
This episode discusses the impact of settlers on Native American life and culture during westward expansion and the subsequent government policies aimed at assimilation.
Settlers encroaching on Native American land created an "Indian problem" in the American West, which increasingly required government intervention. Violence between the United States and the Indian nations of the Plains marked westward expansion, and despite some Native victories, the Indian Wars ultimately transformed tribal cultures as the federal government forced tribes onto reservations. The violence of the Indian Wars also sparked debate about policy regarding Native Americans, and led to the rise of reformers in the East determined to solve the "Indian problem" peacefully. Although the Americanization policy formulated by reformers ended the assault on American Indian life, it enhanced efforts to destroy Native cultures in an effort to assimilate Native peoples to an idealized Euro-American model. Although well-meaning people hoped to save Native Americans by preparing them for life in modern America, their boarding schools traumatized Native students, and their allotment policy impoverished Native peoples by selling surplus tribal lands to settlers. All images referenced in this podcast can be found at…
People in this episode
Host: Miranda Casturo
Topics covered
- Native American history
- Indian Wars
- Americanization policy
- cultural assimilation
- government intervention
- settler violence
- tribal cultures
Keywords
- Native Americans
- Indian problem
- boarding schools
- cultural destruction
- land allotment
- reformers
- government policy
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: OpenStax
Books & works: A Journey into Human History
Places: American West, United States, Plains, East, reservations
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