Indian Boarding School Research Paper

Americanization and Indian Boarding School The history of Native Americans was full of violent, cheats and sadness. From Spanish conquerors, English settlers to U. S Government, Native Americans lost their battles against these parties with greater power. As a result, their home lands, people and culture were consistently threatened by different societies. By the middle of the 19th century, most Native Americans were forced to live in the Indian Reservations, where harsh life continually facing challenges. In 1879, President Rutherford insisted a more aggressive posture in acculturates Indians into Mainstream of American society. The government was given a more sincere role to change Native Americans lifestyle, and obligated to educate and

Different dress, food and confined living environment created a huge amount of stress, which those little boys and girls carried with them. There may have been some good intentions associated with the Boarding school program, but the process and the end results were completed opposite with those good intentions. The idea of exterminating a culture and transform it into another is a false concept to begin with. “I am a red man. If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man he would have made me so in the first place. He put in your heart wishes and plans, in my heart he put other and different desires. Each man is good in his sight. It is not necessary for Eagles to be Crows.”(Sitting Bull) This famous quote from the legendary Native American leader Sitting Bull conveyed Native people’s criticism towards the Boarding school and Americanization. Sitting Bull was a holy man and chief of his people, well-known by his bravery in battle and bright insight in leadership. Never afraid to persist his belief, Chief Sitting Bull was a forerunner during years of resistance to the U.S government policies. (Eastman) His powerful influence to his tribe and great knowledge led to his spiritual legacy remaining in the history of Native Americans. Unfortunately, the U.S government wasn’t perceptive enough to understand Chief Sitting Bull’s

However, it had little to no effect on change Native Americans society, because “Kill the Indian, save the man” was an unjustified concept to begin with. Therefore, the real Americanization is to enlighten ourselves, instead of assimilation, be perceptive to accept different culture and its people. Let eagles be eagles and crows be crows, let’s not worry about lion becomes ox or ox becomes lion, because everything has its function in this