Allotment of Indian Lands Act of 1887 Quiz

The right to own a specific portion of land, making the Indian individually responsible for its use and development.

A designated area set aside for use by a specific Native American tribe or community.

An agreement made between two or more parties, often with the government.

The President of the United States has the power to decide when and how reservation lands are divided.

The land can be divided for farming and raising livestock.

The amount of land allotted depends on the individual's status; families, single adults, and children receive different allotments.

If there isn't enough land for equal allotments, it is divided proportionally.

When treaties or laws specify larger allotments, the President shall follow those established guidelines.

An act of Congress passed in 1887 that divided tribal lands into individual plots given to Native Americans. Its objective was to assimilate Native Americans into mainstream American society.

This act excluded certain lands from the provisions of the Dawes Act, including those occupied by specific tribes in the Indian Territory, New York, and Nebraska.

This section of the Dawes Act appropriated $100,000 for surveying and resurveying lands, with the cost to be recouped from future land sales to Native Americans.

The Dawes Act did not prevent Congress from granting rights of way through Native American land for public use, such as highways, railroads, or telegraph lines.

The act allowed for the relocation of the Southern Ute Indians to a new reservation, with the consent of a majority of the tribe's adult males.

Each Indian household, including those with minor children, is assigned land. The agent of the reservation is responsible for assigning land to orphan children.

When two or more Indians have improvements on the same land, a line is drawn to divide the land fairly. They then get equal amounts of the remaining land.

If an Indian doesn't choose their land within four years, the agent will choose for them.

Special agents appoint by the President, along with reservation agents, oversee the allotment process.

The allotments are recorded and certified by the agents, and then sent to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for review and final approval.

Non-reservation Indians can get land too! They need to settle on unclaimed U.S. land and then apply to the local land office for the allotment.

The land office collects fees for handling allotment applications from non-reservation Indians.

After approval, the Secretary of the Interior issues a patent to the Indian, but the government keeps the land in trust for 25 years. After that, the Indian gets full ownership.

The President can extend the 25-year trust period if needed.

Allotments are made according to the laws of the state or territory where the land is located.

Conveyances or contracts made before the allotted land's designated timeframe are declared invalid.

State laws regarding inheritance and division of property apply after land patents are issued, except as specifically stated in the act.

The Secretary of the Interior can negotiate with a tribe to purchase land not allocated to individuals, with Congressional ratification.

The purchased land is held by the government for sale as homesteads to individual settlers, with a limit of 160 acres per person.

Patents for homesteads are only issued after five years of continuous occupancy.

Any conveyance or contract related to a homestead before the patent is issued is void.

The purchase money for tribal land is held in the US Treasury for the tribe's benefit, with 3% interest.

The money can be used by Congress for the tribe's education and civilization efforts.

Patents are recorded officially and delivered to the allottee without cost.

Religious organizations can occupy up to 160 acres for religious or educational work, subject to Secretary of the Interior's approval.

Indians who have become US citizens are given preference in Indian police and other public service jobs, when qualified.

After allotments are completed and land is patented, individuals are subject to state and territorial laws.

Indians born in the US, allotted land or voluntarily residing outside tribes, adopting civilized life, are declared US citizens.

The Secretary of the Interior can establish rules for water distribution on reservations to ensure fairness and equal access for irrigation.

No water rights can be granted to harm other landowners on the reservation.