Concept

Cultural Assimilation

Late 19th-century U.S. policy aimed at integrating Native Americans into mainstream society.

## Context Late 19th-century U.S. policy aimed at integrating Native Americans into mainstream society. ## Key Features Boarding schools for Native American children Suppression of indigenous languages and traditions Promotion of Euro-American norms ## Impact Loss of indigenous cultural practices Intergenerational trauma among Native communities Resistance and adaptation by Native peoples ## Historical Interpretations Seen as both a tool of oppression and a site of resistance. ## Related Concepts Indian Boarding Schools Dawes Act Americanization ## Examples in History Carlisle Indian Industrial School Tom Torlino’s before-and-after photographs ## Primary Source Evidence Photographs and testimonies from boarding schools