How has the US government historically treated Native Americans?

The United States government has a long history of mistreating Native Americans. From the colonial era through the 19th century, Native Americans were subject to a pattern of land dispossession, military aggression, and withholding of fundamental rights. In the 1800s, the US government forcibly relocated Native American tribes from their ancestral homelands to areas west of the Mississippi River, a process known as the Trail of Tears. This displacement included thousands of Native Americans from Indiana, many of whom were confined to reservations. The US government also enacted a number of policies designed to assimilate Native Americans, such as the Allotment Act of 1887, which divided Native American lands into allotments held in trust by the US government. This policy had devastating economic consequences for many Native Americans, as their land was taken away and their traditional way of life disrupted. In addition, the federal government implemented a number of policies which denied Native Americans fundamental civil rights, including the right to vote, serve in the military, or purchase land. These policies had a long-lasting, devastating effect on Native American communities throughout the US, including in Indiana. While the US government has taken steps to address this long history of mistreatment, Native American tribes continue to fight for recognition, sovereignty, and self-determination.

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How has the US government historically treated Native Americans?

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