Indian termination policy

The Indian Termination Policy was a plan that the United States government had to try and get rid of the special legal relationship that Native American tribes had with the federal government. This special relationship had been established by treaties, which were agreements between the government and the tribes.

Basically, the government thought that the best way for Native Americans to be successful was to be more like the rest of the country. They wanted them to be just like other citizens, without any special protections or benefits. So, they passed a law in 1953 that said the government would no longer recognize any new treaties made with tribes. They also cut off funding for many programs that were meant to help Native Americans, like education and health care.

Native Americans were not happy about this plan. They felt like they were losing their rights and their way of life. Many people protested and fought against it. Some tribes were able to resist termination and keep their special legal status, but many were not.

In the end, the policy was a failure. It did not help Native Americans become more successful, and it caused a lot of harm to their communities. Many people lost their tribal identities and ended up struggling to survive without the support they had previously received. Today, we recognize the importance of honoring tribal sovereignty and supporting Native American communities.