After 1900, there are basically no more Native Americans allowed to do as they please and practice their own culture.. Most Native Americans lived on little reservations the government gave them. Others assimilated into American society. The population of the Native Americans dropped to about 250,000. The government took their old lands and also took some artifacts. Native American culture was becoming nothing but history. But in the early 20th century, many educated Native Americans and others that are used to the white society along with white Americans begin protesting and fighting for Native Americans' rights to religion, culture, and land. They wanted to be recognized as a culture that still exists and not just a piece of history. There were many films made, including films made by Thomas Edison, to show Native American culture. There were also films that showed the public what was happening in the harsh reservations and Indian Schools. In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge passed a law that allowed Native Americans to become citizens of the United States. Many Native American tribes wanted to show how grateful they were. The Sioux were so thankful, they made President Coolidge a chief.
By 1900, the Native American Population. "Native American - United States Citizenship - Immigration...- Classroom Presentation | Teacher Resources - Library of Congress." Native American - United States Citizenship - Immigration...- Classroom Presentation | Teacher Resources - Library of Congress. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.<https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/immigration/native_american8.html>
"Progressive Era: 1890–1920s: Native Americans Fight for Land, Identity, & Education." Progressive Era: 1890–1920s: Native Americans Fight for Land, Identity, & Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2016. <http://picturethis.museumca.org/timeline/progressive-era-1890-1920s/native-americans-fight-land-identity-education/info>.
By 1900, the Native American Population. "Native American - United States Citizenship - Immigration...- Classroom Presentation | Teacher Resources - Library of Congress." Native American - United States Citizenship - Immigration...- Classroom Presentation | Teacher Resources - Library of Congress. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.<https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/immigration/native_american8.html>
"Progressive Era: 1890–1920s: Native Americans Fight for Land, Identity, & Education." Progressive Era: 1890–1920s: Native Americans Fight for Land, Identity, & Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2016. <http://picturethis.museumca.org/timeline/progressive-era-1890-1920s/native-americans-fight-land-identity-education/info>.
"BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and house of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all non citizen Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States be, and they are hereby, declared to be citizens of the United States: Provided That the granting of such citizenship shall not in any manner impair or otherwise affect the right of any Indian to tribal or other property. (Approved June 2, 1924)"
"NebraskaStudies.Org." NebraskaStudies.Org. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2016. <http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0700/frameset_reset.html?http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nebraskastudies.org%2F0700%2Fstories%2F0701_0146.html>.
"NebraskaStudies.Org." NebraskaStudies.Org. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2016. <http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0700/frameset_reset.html?http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nebraskastudies.org%2F0700%2Fstories%2F0701_0146.html>.
This is the act passed that states that Native Americans can now be citizens. This is a good thing that happened: Native Americans can now be citizens and are treated more equally, right? Well although granting citizenship is a good thing, the reason behind the law is not as kind-hearted. The major reason why the congress passed this act is to further assimilate the Native Americans into American culture. Nevertheless, it is still a good thing and many Native Americans were happy that they could be citizens as I said in the introduction.
On the left here is a map of Indian reservations in 1888. On the right is a map of Indian reservations west of the Mississippi River in 1923. You can see a large difference between the two. The major differences I see are the reduction of the Sioux reservation and the removal of most of the reservations in Oklahoma. The Sioux reservations made up most of South Dakota and even goes into North Dakota. By 1923 it gets reduced to a small portion of South Dakota.
This is Ishi. Ishi is a Native American that was part of the Yahi tribe located in California. In fact, he was the last man to belong to the Yahi tribe. He was born in 1860. He survived 3 massacres of his tribe. This makes him and the rest of the survivors try to stay hidden from the American settlers from 1870-1911. There was estimate that in the 1840's there were once 400 people in the Yahi tribe. The band of survivors were estimated to be between 5 to 20 people. In 1911, Ishi came out of the woods and went into Oroville starving. Journalists and Anthropologists became very interested in him. Anthropologists Alfred Kroeber and T. T. Waterman, took him to Parnassus campus at UC. They learned many things from Ishi, including arrow making, tool making, survival skills, hunting skills, and some Yahi stories and songs. Hundreds of visitors would go to Parnassus campus every weekend to see Ishi demonstrate how to make arrows or tell them about the Yahi and their culture. Sadly, he gets tuberculosis and dies in 1916. His brain was given to the Smithsonian. In 1997, some Indians wanted his brain back so they can bury it in his ancestral lands.
This is a picture of a House in the process of being made. It is a home that the Kwakiult tribe would make. I chose this picture because it was taken in 1914 and there are still some Native Americans that can practice there own culture. So even though the United States is trying to assimilate them, massacring them, and taking away there land, Native Americans and their culture are still able to exist. Their land is small, there are few left, and there are many that have been assimilated; but they aren't completely gone, and their cultures are still being practiced.