Native American actions 1968-1975

Why was AIM established in 1968 significant?

Patrol streets and monitor police – led to a decline in number. Of arrests of young NAs (NA jail population decrease by 60%)

Why was fish in significant?

Staged in Washington state when the state supreme court failed to uphold the treaty rights stating the NAs had the right to fish in the Columbia River

Why was published literature significant?

Made many Americans and others aware of NA history and culture, and the problems they were facing.

What were some published literatures?

These works included Vine Deloria Jr’s Custer Died for Your Sins and the most famous of all, Dee Brown’s Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

Why was pursued cases through SC significant?

Gained the return of former tribal lands

Why was the seige of Alcatraz 1969 significant?

Led by Richard Oakes, a member of the Mohawk tribe, in a symbolic gesture, the occupiers offered the government $24 in beads and cloth, the price that had been paid to NAs for the island of Manhattan

What did the gvmt do and why was this impactful? (alcatraz)

Gvmt refused and numbers involved in the seige increased to 80. Worldwide media coverage that resulted made many aware of the conditions of NAs and may have forced the gvmt to reconsider its policies

What did it encourage other NAs to do? (alcatraz)

 encouraged other NAs to become involved in the movement, with 10000 visiting the island during the seige, while others occupied other gvmt owned land

What was Alcatraz important for?

Bringing NAs together and uniting them in their struggle

What did Alcatraz increase awareness for?

the need for solidatory if NAs wanted to achieve their ‘native sovereignty’ goal

What did actions at Alcatraz do?

Actions gained AIM national attention and publicity. Important as NAs couldn’t achieve anything through the ballot box as they made up 1% of electorate, seize ended in 1971

Why was Occupation of Mount Rushmore 1971 significant?

Sacred burial ground of Lakota and protestors established a camp. They were evicted but NAs continued to claim the Black Hills and established further camps

Why was AIM taking over the Bureau of Indian Affairs 1972 significant? (1)

Follows on from the journey made by 1000 protestors who travelled across the USA in the ‘Trail of Broken Treaties Caravan’.

Why was AIM taking over the Bureau of Indian Affairs 1972 significant? (2)

Protest aimed to draw attention to treaties that previous US gvmts had broken with NAs and would gain further publicity because of presidency.

Why was AIM taking over the Bureau of Indian Affairs 1972 significant? (3)

Supposed to be a peaceful protest as marchers handed in a list of 20 issues to be resolved. Without accommodation they took over the Bureau and had to be evicted