LAD #25: Dawes Severalty Act

In 1887 the Dawes Act was passed. This act took Native American’s land and split it into individual properties. The Native Americans were then relocated to a predetermined area specifically set aside for them. Each person was given a certain amount of land and whoever was registered as the head of the family received one-quarter of the land. The land however was still controlled by the government so the Native Americans did not get to keep the land forever. Native Americans who were not granted an area of land were allowed to live anywhere else in the United States. In addition to distributing individual land plots, the Dawes Act also granted the Native Americans equal rights and the benefits of being under American law. After twenty-five years this act became invalid.