mar 3, 1819 - Civilization fund act

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The US Government began to fund Christian schools specifically designed to separate Native American children from their parents and "civilize them". This often involved forcing Indian children into boarding schools where they speak only English, endure physical abuse, do hard labor, cut their hair, and are taught to live sedentary lifestyles. These schools targeted particularly noncompliant tribes, and essentially held their children hostage, forcing the adults to submit to the government. This was one of the ways the government attempted to destroy the culture of the Indians. The picture shows a group of Native children who have been forced to adapt to Western culture.

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