Beloved Child: A Dakota Way of Life

Timeline

1491 An estimated fifteen million Native people inhabit North America, having established sophisticated tribal societies whose contributions to pharmacology, art, government, architecture, science, and ecology remain largely unacknowledged in our contemporary education system. 1492 Native people discover an uninvited guest on this land, Christopher Columbus. 1830 Indian Removal Act—signed by Andrew Jackson, authorizes the president to negotiate with Native tribes to exchange their lands east of the Mississippi River for lands west of the river. 1836—Creek people removed from homeland 1838—Cherokee Trail of Tears 1862 U.S.–Dakota War, followed by the removal of Dakota people from Minnesota and abrogation of all treaties. 1879 Carlisle Indian Industrial School established as the model for the boarding school system. 1883 Indian Religious Crimes Code—prohibits Native ceremonies under risk of imprisonment. 1887 General Allotment (Dawes) Act—allots tribal lands held in common to Native individuals. Timeline 39 01_Layout 1 6/6/2011 10:18 Page 39 40 Beloved Child 1891 Indian Appropriations Act—requires all Native children to attend school and authorizes the BIA to withhold federal rations from any family who refuses; policy continues until passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. 1898 The Curtis Act—reaffirms allotment of tribal lands on reservations and ends tribal sovereignty in the territories. 1906 An Act for the Preservation of American Antiquities— makes excavation or theft of historic ruins or objects of antiquity on federal lands a criminal offense; Native remains and artifacts are defined as “archaeological resources” and considered federal property. 1924 Indian Citizenship Act—gives U.S. citizenship to Native people, including the right to vote; does not provide full protection under the Bill of Rights to Natives living under tribal governments. 1934 Indian Reorganization Act—or Wheeler-Howard Act, ends land allotment, reinstitutes the role of sovereign tribes as governments for Native people, and restores tribal lands and powers. 1952 Voluntary Relocation Program—provides vocational training and assistance for reservation Natives to relocate to designated urban areas; designed as part of the federal government’s termination of responsibility for Native welfare. 1953 Termination Resolution—terminates federal-Indian trust relationship; between 1954 and 1962, Congress terminates trust relationship with sixty-one tribes. 1968 Indian Civil Rights Act—prohibits tribal governments from enacting or enforcing laws that violate individual rights. 1970 President Nixon’s Special Message on Indian Affairs—sets a new direction for national policy: self-determination for Native tribes. 01_Layout 1 6/6/2011 10:18 Page 40 Timeline 41 1972 Indian Education Act—guarantees future generations of Native Americans the tools necessary to compete in modern society without necessitating the abandonment of Native culture and practices. 1975 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act— reverses efforts at termination and gives tribes greater control over funding. 1978 American Indian Religious Freedom Act—protects the right of Native people to participate in traditional religions, including access to sacred sites, possession of sacred objects, and worship through traditional ceremonies. 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act—protects the best interests of Indian children and promotes the stability and security of Indian tribes and families. 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act— protects Native rights to remains, funerary objects, and cultural items; requires federal agencies and museums to provide information and repatriation of Native cultural items to tribes. 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples—recognizes the rights of indigenous peoples, including self-determination. 2010 Tribal Law and Order Act—strengthens tribal law enforcement, especially in areas relating to domestic and sexual violence; improves programs to treat substance abuse and those for at-risk youth. 01_Layout 1 6/6/2011 10:18 Page 41 Danielle, Harley, Emma, and Sue Eagle 02_Layout 1 6/6/2011 10:18 Page 42 ...