Federal Indian Policies

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Federal Indian Policy

The 19th and 20the century federal policies towards Indian population were turning from one extreme to another . The policies were also one sided , where white Americans (settlers ) were extremely favored at the expense of Indians . Ironically , the federal government and American legislators consistently claimed that polices were meant to improve Native American lives , through forced Americanization . Attempts by the Indian nations and well-wishers to push for more friendly policies fell on deaf ears . This essay will elaborate on how these

polices were developed and their consequences on Indian lives

Among the first policies involving Indians were the Trade and Intercourse Act that facilitated the transfer of land from original owners to the settlers (Calloway 120 . In the policy , it was stated that no one , even Indian owners , could transact land without federal government approval . This was in pretext that the federal government was the custodian of all lands in the country , including the ones still held by the Indians . This policy was hailed as friendly to the Indians because individual white settlers could no longer forcefully take land from the Indians it was therefore instrumental in facilitating the development of good relationship between Indians and the Unites States government . It was important for the federal government to develop this policy , because those were the days of aggressive westward expansion of economic activities in the country . As a result , the settlers had it in mind that they had legitimate claim of the land because of the immense economic activities that would be undertaken . On the other hand were the Indians who were seen as having little claim on the land despite being the original inhabitants . At that time , Indians were not very much exposed and thus involved in large-scale economic activities such as farming and livestock keeping

Despite the positive relationship that resulted from the policy , the federal government did not have enough monetary resources , or rather political good will for enforcement (Deloria 54 . In this regard , the settlers embarked on taking Indian lands with little concern of the nation 's laws the prevented such acts . The federal government continued to close its eyes on the vice prevailing in the country . This resulted to the Indian populations being pushed westwards white settlers occupied the now vacant lands and started economic activities especially farming and like stock keeping . The federal government to come into Indians ' aid was the beginning of poor relationship between authorities and Native Americans

The demand for fertile land in the country was high , considering that America was then an agricultural country . This meant continued push of the Indians from the fertile east lands to barren ones in the west . The lands occupied by the Indians were not as fertile or rich in resources compared to the ones they had left in the east . As a result , Indian 's populations ' welfare started to de\cline by the day yet the federal and state governments continued to close their eyes on the matter...