The Dawes Act, 1887 | Records of Rights

...every Indian born within the territorial limits of the United States who has voluntarily taken up, within said limits, his residence separate and apart from any tribe of Indians therein, and has adopted the habits of civilized life, is hereby declared to be a citizen of the United States, and is entitled to all the rights, privileges, and immunities of such citizens...

The Dawes Act 1887

Holding that land ownership was essential for Native American assimilation, the Dawes Act divided communally owned reservations into individual plots. Native Americans protested this policy that tore apart their communities.

National Archives, General Records of the U.S. Government