key term - Citizenship

Definition

Citizenship is the legal status that grants individuals specific rights and responsibilities within a political community, often tied to belonging and participation in the governance of that community. In the context of U.S. history and Native American affairs, citizenship represents a significant shift as it determines the rights of Native Americans and their relationship with the federal government, especially during the era of allotment policies that sought to assimilate Indigenous peoples into American society.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Dawes Act allowed for Native Americans to apply for U.S. citizenship if they agreed to give up their tribal affiliation and accepted individual land allotments.
2. Citizenship was often viewed as a tool for assimilation, pressuring Native Americans to conform to Euro-American norms and abandon their traditional ways of life.
3. The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 formally granted U.S. citizenship to all Native Americans born in the United States, but many states found ways to restrict their voting rights even after this law was passed.
4. Prior to the Dawes Act, many Native Americans were not considered citizens and thus did not enjoy basic rights such as land ownership or voting.
5. The imposition of citizenship upon Native Americans through allotment policies had long-term effects, including loss of tribal lands and disruption of cultural practices.

Review Questions

• How did the Dawes Act impact the concept of citizenship for Native Americans?
  • The Dawes Act fundamentally altered the concept of citizenship for Native Americans by tying it to individual land ownership and assimilation. By allotting communal tribal lands into individual parcels, the Act aimed to encourage Native Americans to adopt a lifestyle similar to that of Euro-Americans. This shift in citizenship status was significant because it transformed how Native Americans interacted with the federal government, as they could obtain U.S. citizenship only if they renounced their tribal affiliation and embraced individualism.
• What were some implications of granting U.S. citizenship to Native Americans through policies like the Dawes Act?
  • Granting U.S. citizenship to Native Americans through policies such as the Dawes Act had profound implications. It not only pressured Indigenous peoples to assimilate into Euro-American culture but also led to significant loss of communal lands as tribes were broken up into individual parcels. Furthermore, while citizenship promised rights like land ownership and voting, many states continued to find loopholes to disenfranchise Native Americans, illustrating the ongoing struggle for rights even after formal recognition.
• Evaluate the long-term consequences of citizenship policies on Native American identity and communities.
  • The long-term consequences of citizenship policies on Native American identity and communities have been deeply impactful. The push for assimilation through citizenship often led to fragmentation within tribes as individuals sought acceptance in a society that marginalized their cultural heritage. Over time, this created challenges in preserving traditions and languages, resulting in a complex relationship with both their own identities and the broader American society. Many Indigenous communities continue to grapple with these historical legacies today, advocating for rights that reflect both their tribal affiliations and their citizenship status.

Related terms

Dawes Act:

A federal law enacted in 1887 aimed at assimilating Native Americans by allotting them individual plots of land and granting them U.S. citizenship if they accepted the terms.

Allotment:

The process of dividing communal tribal lands into individual parcels for Native Americans, intended to promote private land ownership and assimilation into mainstream American culture.

Assimilation: The process through which individuals or groups adopt the cultural norms of another group, often leading to a loss of original cultural identity, particularly evident in policies directed at Native Americans.