Key Terms in Native American History and Policy

Flashcards summarizing key terms and events related to Native American history and policies.

John Collier

FDR’s commissioner of Indian Affairs (1933–1945) who promoted community and tribal rights.

Ada Deer

Menominee activist leader who reversed termination, becoming the first Native American woman to head the BIA.

Richard Nixon

Signed the Menominee Restoration Act in 1973, reinstating tribal recognition.

Mashantucket Pequots

Tribe declared extinct in 1637; regained federal recognition in 1983 under tribal leader Skip Hayward.

Connie Pinkerton-Uri

Choctaw physician who exposed forced sterilizations of Native women in 1974.

William Rehnquist

Supreme Court justice known for undermining tribal sovereignty.

Donald Trump

President who rolled back Native rights and protections through policy changes.

Indian Gaming

Regulated by the 1988 IGRA, which requires tribes to negotiate state agreements for casino gambling.

Indian New Deal

Policy that aimed to end allotment and supported tribal governance and cultural revival, with partial success.

Navajo Stock Reduction

Program that aimed to secure additional lands but cut Navajo herds by half over a decade.

Red Power

Native activist movement arising from reservations and urban areas for rights and recognition.

Alcatraz Occupation

Protest from 1969 to 1971 that raised awareness of Native rights and became a symbol of resistance.

Termination Policy

1950s policy aimed at dissolving tribal governments and ending federal support for tribes.

Indian Child Welfare Act (1978)

Law that established tribal authority over the care and placement of Native children.

Indian Self-Determination Act (1975)

Law that conveyed greater control to tribes over federal programs on reservations.

Blood Quantum

Government-defined criteria establishing Native identity based on ancestry.

Indian Reorganization Act (1934)

Law enabling tribes to draft constitutions; 174 tribes accepted it, while 78 rejected it.

Indian Claims Commission (1946)

Established to allow tribes to file land claims for compensation, though many wanted land instead of money.

Relocation Program

Mid-20th century initiative to move Native populations from reservations to urban areas.

American Indian Movement (AIM)

Activist group formed in 1968 advocating for Native rights and cultural revival.

Tribal Colleges

Institutions that promote Native education and cultural programs, enhancing tribal identity.

Repatriation

The movement to reclaim Native artifacts and remains from non-Indian museums.