Sam Moodey U6H2

To what extent was the New Deal the most important turning point in the
development of Native American civil rights in the period 1865-1980?

The New Deal in 1934 was a crucial turning point in the development of Native
American civil rights. It saved them from complete destruction and as such it also
therefore saved the political, cultural and social identity of those tribes which had not
been broken up by 1934. Although the impact off the reservations was somewhat
different, this essay will argue that, due to the economic and land benefits, the New
Deal was the most important turning point in the development of Native American
civil rights in the period 1865-1980.

In terms of the land benefits acquired, the New Deal was undoubtedly the most
important turning point in the development of Native American civil rights in the
period 1865 to 1980. It saved the reservations, and thus saved the political, cultural
and social identity of those not broken up by 1934. The Indian Wars originally led to
the complete destruction of Native American independence and forced all tribes onto
reservations. To make matters worse, the Dawes Act of 1877 introduced the allotment
process, where those in the reservations were broken up into specific allotments.
Many tribes lost their identities and thus found themselves very fragmented and
divisive; so much that they were no longer a threat to the government. By 1934, half
of the tribes west of the Mississippi had been broken up. The Indian New Deal, also
known as the Indian Reorganisation Act, was arguably the most important turning
point because not only did it end this break up of reservations, it allowed them
political control, with which they could self-govern. One of the key elements of this
act was land. Land grants were issued and the Indian Bureau also began to buy back
land for the Indians. Four million acres were given out and although this may seem
small, it was a significant step forward from life under the Dawes Act of 1877. This
acquisition of land also helped stimulate political activity. 95 constitutions were
quickly set up, and soon the political structure of many tribes was revived. Thus, the
New Deal can be seen as the most important turning point in the development of
Native American civil rights in the period 1865-1980. Not only did it end the break up
of reservations, which had inhibited their rights, but the deal gave them political
control which in turn allowed them to develop their own culture, society and
education within the framework.

The New Deal was also arguably the most important turning point in the development
of Native American civil rights in the period 1865 to 1980 because it saw the Natives
reconstructing their own economic activity and without this, the development of civil
rights would not have been possible. After the Indian Wars, tribes were removed and
placed on reservations, areas poor for wealth and agriculture. This meant these tribes
could no longer support themselves and maintain their hunting lifestyle. Their buffalo,
their main source of income, had also been totally annihilated in the 1860’s and thus
the Native American’s way of life had, in many ways, been destroyed. The Miriam
Report in 1929 attacked this governmental policy, in particular the Dawes Act(1877),
which further prevented the development of Indian economic rights. This report
argued how the allotment policy in particular divided up the tribes and created a
landed under-class with no real cohesion or identity. The New Deal in 1934, however,
saw a huge turn-around for the economic rights of Native Americans. The deal
essentially enabled the reservations to incorporate themselves as businesses and
Sam Moodey U6H2
receive funding. Loans were set up by the government with preferential rates, and
with the added benefit of more land, these Native Americans on the reservations
began to acquire lots of money. Many even took advantage of the federal funding and
set up businesses. The Cherokees, for example, incorporated themselves as a market
gardening business in Oklahoma and thus grew rapidly. Very quickly the reservations
became self-sustaining economies and began to rely less and less on federal handouts
to survive. It was rather different to only a few years earlier when their economies had
been totally ruined after the annihilation of their buffalo. Although the Native
Americans still had little money, it was enough for them to surive comfortably.
Therefore, in terms of the development of economic rights, the Indian New Deal was
the most important turning point in the development of Native American civil rights
in the period 1865-1980. Not only did it signify a huge advancement from the limited
rights after the Indian Wars, but it also allowed those on the reservations to develop
their economy and essentially have control over their own existence.

However, the New Deal was not a definitive political turning point because it did not
give the Natives full control over the reservations. The New Deal did not alter the
legal constitution of Native Americans and such as still left the government as owners
of them. Although the reservations were transformed into self-sustaining economies,
the Indian Commissioner was essentially in total control. They were not full citizens,
and had no way near as many rights as other groups This allowed Mayer, in the
1950’s to renew the onslaught on the reservations. He introduced a programme
similar to the Japanese concentration camp policy and his primary aim was to scatter
them as under-class in the big cities. Some tribes were destroyed, and this, together
with the slashing of government business loans led to the destruction of the
reservations. The New Deal did not protect the status of a Native American beyond
the law as they were still under the jurisdiction of Congress and thus Mayer was able
to exploit this. The emergence of red power, a growing sense of Indian identity within
the USA in the 1960’s and 70’s, could be argued to be a more important turning point
in the development of Native American civil rights. This allowed for the tribes
themselves to have greater control in decisions regarding their own welfare rather
than allocating the decision making to government officials. The Indian Self-
Determination Act (1975) in particular gave the Natives protected status beyond the
law such that someone like Mayer could not destroy their rights like he had done in
the 1950’s. Therefore, politically, the New Deal was not the most important turning
point in the development of Native American civil rights in the given period. They
were essentially owned by the government and Congress and therefore had no control
in the reservations. This allowed Mayer to exploit these frailties in the New Deal in
the 1950’s and it was not until the emergence of red power in the 1960’s and 70’s,
that the Natives truly had control over their own political existence.

Finally, the New Deal was not the most important turning point in the development of
Native American civil rights in the period 1865-1980 off the reservations and as fifty
percent of the population did not live on reservations, this means the New Deal did
not have a significant impact on the majority of Natives. They were not able to take
advantage of the land as they had already lost their reservations. Only those on
reservations could incorporate themselves as businesses and restore their political and
economic identities, which had been totally destroyed after the Indian Wars and the
Dawes Act. Rather, it was the Civil Rights Act in 1980 which had a vastly more
important impact for natives off the reservations. This Act removed any form of legal
discrimination against the Natives in pursuit of work. It also gave them political
Sam Moodey U6H2
access and its effects were seen in the Great Society, under the administration of
Richard Nixon. Here, huge amounts of money were put towards the training,
education and general improvement of the poor, including the Native Americans.
Thus, although the impact of the New Deal was seen on the reservations, the deal was
not the most important turning point in the development of Native American civil
rights off them. The majority of natives did not live on reservations and could not take
advantage of the land benefits like those on the reservations did. IT was not until the
Civil Rights Act of 1965 that the civil rights of natives off the reservations truly
developed. Here, they were given a legal and political identity and allowed to advance
in society.

The New Deal was the most important turning point in the development of Native
American civil rights in the period 1865-1980. Although the impact was minimal off
the reservations and the political advantages are questionable, the economic and land
benefits were hugely beneficial to natives. Not only did it end the break up of
reservations and give political control whereby they could develop their own culture,
society and education, it also allowed those on the reservations to develop their
economy and essentially have control over their own existence and therefore the New
Deal was essential to the development of Native American civil rights in the period.