The Assimilation of Other Cultures in America

America has a long history of assimilating foreign cultures into society, and the 1800s the US government began the the process of assimilating Native Americans into America. They did this through the use of the education system, and by giving the Native Americans land to begin anew and become a part of society. In 1879, Congress created boarding schools for Native Americans, and started forcing the children of Native Americans into these schools where they were unable to practice their Native American traditions. While it was optional, most Native Americans did it because those living on reservations were denied rations otherwise, which essentially forced them to send away their children. The government hoped to rid the Native Americans children of their  culture by forcing them into an environment where their beliefs and culture were shunned. The govenrments given explanation was that it was a better alternative to "shooting indians".

https://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1700117?terms=assimilation+of+native+americans&sType=quick

https://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1699303?terms=assimilation+of+native+americans&sType=quick

https://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1690402?terms=assimilation+of+native+americans&sType=quick

USH In Class Assignment

https://archive.org/stream/conciseschoolhis02camp#page/n21/mode/2up

1.

2. Today we looked at a history textbook from 1887, and read a selection of pages talking about Native Americans during the 1600s. We did this to see what conclusions someone in school might have drawn from these textbooks in the late 1800s, and how it might have shaped their views of Native Americans.

3. If I were a student reading this textbook in the late 1800s I think this textbook would definitely have changed my view of Native Americans. The textbook calls them vengeful and states that they considered war to be "the most honorable employment,"  and that, "the one who could show the greatest number of scalps, torn from his foes, was considered the bravest warrior." These quotes make it seem like the Native Americans were warmongers, when in reality they were no more aggressive than the Europeans who colonized their land. The textbook even goes as far as to use the word "savage" interchangeably with Indian as if the terms are synonymous with each other dehumanizing them. So it would probably give me a bad impression about Native Americans.

Letters from the West

http://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibits/current/binding-the-nation/moving-west/your-letters-are-read-with-eagerness/waterman-ormsbys-letter.html 1) What was this letter(s) about? The letter was about a man who had recently purchased land in the West, and was writing for his wife and child. He sent this to his wife to inform her about his ventures in the West, and what he expected them to do in the following year. He told her that he had selected 160 acres of land as well to other plots in case that one didn’t pan out. The man told his wife that while the land is beautiful it does have its fair share of issues, but that they will be able to start a life, and live in a house made of sod that is as just as good as any other house. He later finds out that the land he had procured had been taken up by some others, but that he intended to get it back. 2) What stood out to you in the letter? The letter didn’t really pay much attention to grammar, and was mostly just a man telling his wife about his initial feelings of the West. 3) How important was the act of letter writing at this point in time to people migrating West? What did it mean to them or their loved ones? The act of writing a letter while migrating to the West was very important because it allowed settlers to communicate with those they left at home. It was the only means of communication with those in the West, so maintaining a correspondence with loved ones was important because it offered settlers a connection to those in the East.