Making Connections
In Chapter 2, you learned about the history of U.S.—Tribal relations. In Chapter 3, you explored the unique timelines of the Native nations here in Utah. For this activity, you should compare and contrast the information in these two sections.
Identify at least 2 examples from the timelines that demonstrate how U.S.—Indian policy directly or indirectly affected the Native groups in Utah.
Examples
Indian Boarding Schools: In the late 1800's to the early 1900's, Native American children were forced to go to Indian boarding schools where they were given new names, forced to abandon tribal religious beliefs and symbolism, cut their hair, and not speak in their native tongue. This impacted Native American children in Utah, as well. On the Paiute Timeline, it speaks of children facing physical and sexual abuse. It also speaks of deaths at the boarding schools. The White Mesa Ute timeline speaks of the U.S. government using education as the door to "civilization."
One example is the “allotment and assimilation” period beginning in the late 1800s. The U.S. government attempted to assimilate the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation in the 1860's by “teaching” them to farm for their subsistence.
Indian Reorganization: In the 1920's there was a national push for tribal sovereignty and self determination. In Utah, the Dine/Navajo Nation Tribal Government was established in 1923. "Dine government has evolved into the largest and most sophisticated form of American Indian government. Spirituality and prayer are important elements of their tribal government, which is allowed because of their sovereignty. For the Paiutes, various bands received federal recognition at different times. The Shivwits Band in 1891 until the Kanosh Band in early 1929. In 1935, the Wheeler-Howard Act encouraged tribal self-governance and protection of Indian land rights.