Formerly dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge of American History students at Lincoln County High School in Eureka, Montana; NOW dedicated to the educational pursuit of anyone interested in American polity.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
AHI
American History I students are currently studying the expansion of the West and the policy towards Native Americans.
EXTRA CREDIT: Discuss the policy of assimilation. Was it necessary? Was it effective? Was it moral? Explain.
I think that assimilation was not necessary, but back then the white thought it was in order for them to survive peacefully. Assimilation was very effective in many ways but it also presented many hurt families. I personally think it was very immoral to hold captured Native Americans and "break" them into giving up their native language and culture. Many of them lost their families and origins due to this process.
Assimilation was just one way that Americans and the government exercised their power at this time. The Indians were taken from their homes and forced to learn the ways of a completely different culture without looking back. Taking young Indians to boarding school was very effective to assimilating the Indians. It was immoral how the they were treated because their conditions at boarding schools were often very harsh.Assimilation was very unnecessary and detrimental to the Indians.
Assimilaton was partially effective by taking all of the children they schooled and basically making them white. I think there could have been a better way of letting white people and Native Americans live in peace that wouldnt tear apart their culture.
The policies of assimilation were to absorb the American way and culture into the indians and make the indians forget what their own ways and culture were. It was not necessary because out of all the indians that were forced to go the the boarding schooling actually ended up making a success in the american world, whereas most of the others would either die or just go back to their home and often be disgraced because they had forgotten so much about their own culture they werent even able to communicate. It was very effective, after going to a boardiing for a year or two most indians will have started to forget their own culture and language and be completely fluent in the English language and way of living. It was not moral. People came into the homes of indians and forcefully took these children away and then forced them to forget all that they know and to learn their way of doing things and if they refused or tried to fight back against them they would be punished.
Assimilation not only took away from Indians culture, but their present day ways. The federal government forcefully took young Indians from their homes and brought them to be taught new ways in boarding schools. Many students rebelled and some even caught diseases and died. They were extremely unhappy and rarely got to see their families, if ever. By doing this it was diminishing the native culture which is exactly what the white men wanted. The entire purpose was to give the Indians an american education.In my opinion it was effective, but only because they had no choice but to attend the boarding schools. If it were the Indians choice they would have never left home in the first place. The Indians thought that by cutting their hair it was a sign of mourning, and one thing that happened right when they arrived at the schools was getting their hair cut. This took away from their beliefs and morals. All in all, the assimilation was more of a cultural punishment.
the assimilation was mainly to make the american way into the Indians and make them basically be white people and forget about their own culture. I don't think it was fair or necessary. Most of the Indians after they were done with the schooling most of them made success in the america way but others weren't aloud to come back to their original culture because they had forgotten how to talk or be apart of it.
Assimilation took the Indian ways away and put the white man ways in. The whole reason to do this was to get rid of the native race and their beliefs. It was definitely immoral and cruel to the Indians. To make them get rid of their culture and belief and make them shove what white men believe and do into there head is just wrong. Yes it did help some be successful but it also scared many and made many outcasts to there own homes.
I believe that assimilation was both immoral and unnecessary. The white men tried so hard to make the Native Americans like them, which resulted in centuries of wars and feuds between the two cultures.
I think that assimilation was not necessary, but back then the white thought it was in order for them to survive peacefully. Assimilation was very effective in many ways but it also presented many hurt families. I personally think it was very immoral to hold captured Native Americans and "break" them into giving up their native language and culture. Many of them lost their families and origins due to this process.
ReplyDeleteAssimilation was just one way that Americans and the government exercised their power at this time. The Indians were taken from their homes and forced to learn the ways of a completely different culture without looking back. Taking young Indians to boarding school was very effective to assimilating the Indians. It was immoral how the they were treated because their conditions at boarding schools were often very harsh.Assimilation was very unnecessary and detrimental to the Indians.
ReplyDeleteAssimilaton was partially effective by taking all of the children they schooled and basically making them white. I think there could have been a better way of letting white people and Native Americans live in peace that wouldnt tear apart their culture.
ReplyDeleteThe policies of assimilation were to absorb the American way and culture into the indians and make the indians forget what their own ways and culture were. It was not necessary because out of all the indians that were forced to go the the boarding schooling actually ended up making a success in the american world, whereas most of the others would either die or just go back to their home and often be disgraced because they had forgotten so much about their own culture they werent even able to communicate. It was very effective, after going to a boardiing for a year or two most indians will have started to forget their own culture and language and be completely fluent in the English language and way of living. It was not moral. People came into the homes of indians and forcefully took these children away and then forced them to forget all that they know and to learn their way of doing things and if they refused or tried to fight back against them they would be punished.
ReplyDeleteAssimilation not only took away from Indians culture, but their present day ways. The federal government forcefully took young Indians from their homes and brought them to be taught new ways in boarding schools. Many students rebelled and some even caught diseases and died. They were extremely unhappy and rarely got to see their families, if ever. By doing this it was diminishing the native culture which is exactly what the white men wanted. The entire purpose was to give the Indians an american education.In my opinion it was effective, but only because they had no choice but to attend the boarding schools. If it were the Indians choice they would have never left home in the first place. The Indians thought that by cutting their hair it was a sign of mourning, and one thing that happened right when they arrived at the schools was getting their hair cut. This took away from their beliefs and morals. All in all, the assimilation was
ReplyDeletemore of a cultural punishment.
the assimilation was mainly to make the american way into the Indians and make them basically be white people and forget about their own culture. I don't think it was fair or necessary. Most of the Indians after they were done with the schooling most of them made success in the america way but others weren't aloud to come back to their original culture because they had forgotten how to talk or be apart of it.
ReplyDeleteAssimilation took the Indian ways away and put the white man ways in. The whole reason to do this was to get rid of the native race and their beliefs. It was definitely immoral and cruel to the Indians. To make them get rid of their culture and belief and make them shove what white men believe and do into there head is just wrong. Yes it did help some be successful but it also scared many and made many outcasts to there own homes.
ReplyDeleteI believe that assimilation was both immoral and unnecessary. The white men tried so hard to make the Native Americans like them, which resulted in centuries of wars and feuds between the two cultures.
ReplyDelete