American Indian Timeline

By Amanda33

  • Worcester VS Georgia

    The U.S. Supreme Court decided that states are excluded from regulating or taxing Indian Country as this is an infringement on Indigenous sovereighty.

  • The Indian Act

    Act to Amend and Consolidate the Laws Respecting Indians wihich is commonly referred to as the Indian Act. Under this act, Indians would lose control of every aspect of their corporate existence.

  • Indian Reorganization Act

    Also known as the Indian New Deal, promoted the retention of land and cultural distinctiveness.

  • Relocation Policy

    It was a federal program designed to move Native people from reservations to cities.

  • House Concurrent Resolution

    This was the first of the termination bills. Termination was the legal abolition of the tribes and their reservations.

  • The Indian Health Service

    The federal government transferred responsibilty for Native American health from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the U.S. Public Health Service, thereby creating the IHS. The IHS mission is to provide services and improve the health of Native Americans.

  • Policy of Self-determination

    President Nixon returned land to Taos Pueblo and articulated a policy of self-determination for tribes that has been followed by subsequent administrations.

  • The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANSCA)

    This act was passed as a way to resolve land claims and clarify rights to land and natural resources within the state. In exchange for relinquishing claim to over 360 million acres and payments totaling $962.5 million. At this time, all reservations except one were revoked and for-profit corporations with Native Alaskans as stockholders were developed to manage the money and the land.

  • Education Assistance Act

    This Act offered tribes the choice to assume the control of their own governments and edcuational services or to continue to allow administration by the BIA. Under this Act, the US government supplied some funding for tribal support, training, and transition.

  • Indian Health Care Improvement Act

    This Act was implemented to improve the health of American Indian people and increase participation in health-centered programs, including a scholarship program, health facilities, sanitation systems for Indian homes, and reimbursement through Medicare and Medicaid.

  • American Indian Religious Freedom Act

    Originally, this act was comprehensive and acknowledged past federal government infringement on the religous freedom of Native Americans, but Forst Service lobbyists succeed in undermining AIRFA.s protection of sacred sites. This was an important statement of principles of religious freedom for Native people, but these principles were largely unenforceable.

  • Indian Child Welfare Act

    This act gives considerable jurisdiction and control to tribes when it comes to the home placement of Native Children. The intent of the policy is to promote stabiity and security of Native family life.

  • Royal Commissions on Aboriginal Peoples

    This was a five-volume document that addressed a spectrum of matters, including housing, education, child welfare, health, youth suicide, recognition of an Aboriginal government, creation of an Aborginal parliament, and development of a new relationship between federal and provincial governments and Aborginal peoples.