7.2 Establishment of reservations and rancherias

The U.S. government established reservations and rancherias for Native Americans in California, aiming to consolidate populations and open land for white settlement. This process involved treaty negotiations, forced relocation, and attempts at assimilation through policies like boarding schools.

Conditions on reservations and rancherias were often harsh, with limited resources and restrictions on movement and cultural practices. The system disrupted traditional lifestyles, suppressed native languages, and caused economic hardship, leading to long-term consequences for Native American communities.

Establishment of Reservations and Rancherias

Establishment of Indian reservations

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• Process of establishing reservations involved treaty negotiations between California tribes and U.S. government led to land allocation by federal government and forced relocation of Native American communities (Trail of Tears)
• Rationale for creating reservations aimed to consolidate Native American populations opened land for white settlement and attempted to "civilize" Native Americans through assimilation policies (boarding schools)
• Reservations typically larger than rancherias established earlier and federally recognized with defined boundaries and legal status

Conditions on reservations vs rancherias

• Reservations often located in remote and isolated areas with limited access to resources and services suffered from overcrowding and poor sanitation (lack of clean water)
• Rancherias generally comprised smaller communities closer to urban areas with variable access to resources depending on location
• Both faced common challenges including loss of traditional lands and resources restrictions on movement and cultural practices inadequate healthcare and education and economic hardship and unemployment
• Reservations experienced greater federal oversight and control while rancherias received less federal support and recognition

Impact of reservation system

• Disrupted traditional lifestyles by forcing sedentarism on nomadic tribes and altering social structures and family dynamics
• Suppressed native languages and religious practices led to loss of traditional knowledge and skills and eroded tribal identities
• Caused economic consequences through loss of access to traditional hunting and gathering grounds forced transition to wage labor and agriculture and created dependency on government rations and assistance
• Resulted in long-term effects such as intergenerational trauma persistence of poverty and health disparities and spurred efforts to revitalize cultural practices and languages

Role of Bureau of Indian Affairs

• Established originally as part of the War Department later transferred to the Department of the Interior
• Managed land and resource allocation enforced law on reservations and provided education and healthcare
• Implemented assimilation policies through boarding school system allotment of tribal lands and suppression of traditional cultural practices
• Criticized for paternalistic approach mismanagement of tribal resources and corruption and abuse of power
• Evolved towards supporting tribal self-governance economic development initiatives and collaborating on cultural preservation efforts