What were the elements of the Dawes Act of 1887?

Answer 1

The Dawes Act of 1887 provided for:

• the President to survey Native American tribal areas and divide the arable land into sections for the individual;
• each Native American to choose his or her own allotment and the family to choose for each minor child;
• the US American agent to certify each allotment and provide two copies of the certification, one to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and one to the Department of the Interior;
• Native Americans not residing on their reservation and Native Americans without reservations to receive an equal allotment
• the Secretary of the Interior to hold the allotments "in trust" for 25 years, and to negotiate under existing treaties for the land not allotted to be purchased ;
• upon completion of the process, the allotment holder will become a United States citizen and "be entitled to all the rights, privileges, and immunities of such citizens".
• water rights on irrigated land;
• exemption of the Five Civilized Tribes and several others from the act;
• appropriation of funds to carry out the act;
• asserting the Power of Eminent Domain of the Congress over the allotments;
• for the Southern Ute Native Americans to move from their present reservation in Southwestern Colorado to a new reservation if a majority of the adult male members wanted so.

By:Kerrin Moravy!

Answer 2

The Dawes Act of 1887 authorized the president to survey American Indian lands and divide it into allotments for Indians. Those who accepted the President's allotments and lived away from the tribe were to be granted citizenship.

Answer 3

It dramatically shrank the Indian reservations.

Answer 4

The Dawes Act known as the General Allotment Act was adopted by Congress in 1887. This Act set up an Indian Appropriation Bill for the American Indians.