HIST111 Lecture 2

Overview of Indian Boarding Schools in U.S. History

  • Historical Context

    • A haunting chapter in American and Californian history; schools aimed at isolating indigenous children.

    • Schools intended to erase cultural identities and traditional practices of the indigenous peoples, including names and languages.

    • Federal investigative reports reveal extensive details about Indian boarding schools in the U.S., particularly California.

    • Many young students were forcibly taken from their homes, and many never returned.

  • Federal Investigative Findings

    • Between 1819 and 1969, the U.S. government operated or supported over 400 boarding schools across 37 states and territories.

    • The primary goal was to assimilate indigenous children into white society.

    • On a broader scale, it facilitated the acceleration of land appropriation from tribes.

    • Federal policies included attempts to exterminate, eradicate, and assimilate Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.

  • California-Specific Schools

    • Twelve Indian boarding schools operated in California, including the Sherman Institute in Riverside County.

    • At least 65 indigenous children are buried in an old school cemetery in Riverside County, away from their communities.

  • Deb Holland's Leadership

    • Deb Holland, the first Native American cabinet secretary, ordered the investigative report on federal Indian boarding schools.

    • Children were forced to give up their languages, cultures, religions, and histories; this led to severe cultural loss.

  • Personal Stories and Impact

    • Philip Williams, a tribal leader, shared the heartbreak of being told to abandon his culture for assimilation, implying deep psychological scars.

    • Remarks on over 500 deaths identified at 19 schools, with expectations for the number of burial sites to increase over time. Mention of causes of death including infectious disease or unspecified accidents.

Funding and Support for Boarding Schools

  • Financial Sources

    • Funding for these schools included Indian Trust assets, meant for the benefit of indigenous individuals or tribes.

    • Some schools raised funds through selling promotional photographs showcasing students' transformations as a form of propaganda.

The Gilded Age Context

  • Gilded Age Overview

    • The period marked significant industrial growth and societal greed in the United States.

    • Post-Civil War industrialization led to escalated factory, mine, and railroad expansions.

    • By 1913, the U.S. accounted for one-third of the world's industrial output, outperforming Britain, France, and Germany combined.

  • Labor Market Shifts

    • The transition from agrarian to industrialized society saw a significant workforce shift; by 1880, many moved from farms to cities, with two-thirds of Americans working for wages by 1890.

    • Between 1870 and 1920, approximately 11 million Americans migrated to cities for work.

    • Arrival of 25 million immigrants, primarily from Europe, further populated these industrial centers.

  • Immigrant Experience

    • Immigrants faced discrimination, particularly from the Irish and Italians due to religious biases.

    • As illustrated in media, like the Godfather Part II, accounts of immigrant arrival reflect their treatment and the harsh realities they faced in urban settings.

  • Workforce Conditions

    • Immigrants engaged in labor-intensive jobs in rough factory conditions, often bearing the brunt of poor working environments in cities like Pittsburgh and Chicago.

Rising Industrialization and Economic Disparities

  • Railroad Expansion

    • Significant growth of railroads post-Civil War allowed for efficient transport and agricultural product distribution across the continent.

    • Creation of standardized time zones helped facilitate rail operations; the first intrastate time zones were established in 1883.

  • Technological Innovations

    • Notable inventions included creations by Thomas Edison—phonographs and electric plants—and Nikola Tesla’s advancements in electric motors.

  • Wealth Disparity and the Robber Barons

    • The Gilded Age saw the rise of wealthy entrepreneurs like Andrew Carnegie (steel industry) and John D. Rockefeller (oil industry).

    • Descriptions of their exploitative practices, harsh working conditions, and neglect of labor rights led to significant inequality and were met with anger from the working class.

    • By 1890, the top 1% held the same wealth as the bottom half of American society combined.

Political Corruption and Social Issues

  • Political Climate

    • The era was characterized by rampant corruption and manipulation by corporate elites; many government officials were deeply intertwined with corporate interests.

    • The manipulation of laws and use of insider trading practices severely harmed ethical governance.

  • Social Ramifications

    • The divergence between the rich and poor intensified, leading to calls for labor movements and organized strikes, often met with violent suppression.

Conflicts with Native Americans

  • Overview of Conflicts

    • The 19th century marked extensive conflicts termed as the Indian Wars, initiated during European colonization that began in Jamestown.

    • Major battles and events leading to the deterioration of Native American populations included the Jamestown Massacre, Pequot War, King Philip’s War, French and Indian War, and numerous skirmishes against settlers and U.S. military.

  • Wounded Knee and Genocide

    • The Wounded Knee Massacre, occurring on December 29, 1890, marks the culmination of violent conflict, resulting in the deaths of approximately 150 Native Americans.

    • It is recognized as marking the end of Native American resistance in the U.S.

The Gold Rush and Its Atrocities

  • California Gold Rush Insights

    • The Gold Rush precipitated widespread violence and genocide against Native Americans in California, with propaganda contributing to the dehumanization of indigenous peoples.

    • Over 300,000 people flocked to California for gold; this influx was heavily armed, igniting waves of violence and displacement.

  • Killing Campaigns

    • The California government instituted ranger militias aiming to eliminate Native American populations.

    • Between 1850 and 1861, there were at least 24 killing campaigns leading to the deaths of a minimum of 1,340 California Indians, with estimates suggesting much higher actual casualties.

  • Abuse and Enslavement

    • Documented cases show that indigenous people were systematically abused, enslaved, and treated as disposable laborers during the Gold Rush period.

Conclusion and Current Awareness

  • Acknowledgment of Atrocities

    • Continued denial of these historical truths perpetuates the pain within Native American communities.

    • Contemporary efforts are underway to bring more clarity and acknowledgment of the genocide faced by Native Americans, particularly in educational materials.

  • Emphasis on Education

    • Importance of accurately teaching this history is imperative to counteract institutionalized amnesia surrounding these topics.