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Difficulty: MediumWestward Expansion and American Indians

"Late in the morning, my friend Judewin gave me a terrible warning. She had overheard the paleface woman talk of cutting our long, heavy hair. Our mothers had taught us that only unskilled warriors who were captured had their hair shingled by the enemy. Among our people, short hair was worn by mourners, and shingled hair by cowards! ... I cried aloud, shaking my head all the while until I felt the cold blades of the scissors against my neck, and heard them gnaw off one of my thick braids. Then I lost my spirit."

— Zitkála-Šá (Gertrude Bonnin), Yankton Dakota, writing of her experiences at a boarding school in the late 1880s

Which of the following federal policies or goals from the late nineteenth century is most directly reflected in the excerpt?

  1. The push to systematically assimilate Native Americans into white American society by eradicating tribal culturesAnswer
  2. B
    The intent to preserve traditional Native American customs and protect tribal sovereignty on reservations
  3. C
    The implementation of treaties aimed at guaranteeing political independence for Native American tribes
  4. D
    The application of laissez-faire principles to leave educational and social services to private charity

Answer

The push to systematically assimilate Native Americans into white American society by eradicating tribal cultures
The correct answer is correct because the forced cutting of Zitkála-Šá's hair reflects the assimilationist methods of federal Indian boarding schools, which aimed to erase indigenous cultures and integrate Native American children into white American society.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus excerpt to identify Zitkála-Šá's experience at the boarding school.
The author describes the traumatic, forced cutting of her hair, which held deep cultural significance for her people.
Understanding the personal impact of the action helps identify the broader historical process at play.
2
Connect the forced alteration of cultural practices (like hair length, clothing, and language) to federal policies of the late nineteenth century.
These practices were central features of government-funded off-reservation boarding schools, which aimed to 'Americanize' Native children.
Boarding schools were a primary instrument of the federal assimilation policy, designed to strip Native Americans of their cultural heritage.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the federal policy that aligned with this practice of cultural eradication.
The option describing systematic cultural assimilation matches the historical context, while other options incorrectly suggest federal support for tribal sovereignty or a hands-off approach.
This confirms the correct choice based on Gilded Age federal Indian policy.

Key Concept

Late nineteenth-century federal Indian policy focused heavily on forced assimilation, utilizing boarding schools and land allotment to break down tribal structures.
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Topics

Westward Expansion and American Indians

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