LAD #21 The Dawes Act

The Dawes Act was created to reorganize government owned indian Reservations into Private property for indians. In the Dawes Act, it states that each head of the family gets a quarter section while persons over the age of 18 got 1/8th of a section along with orphans who were under the age of 18. Lastly 1/16th was given to all the other people in the family. The Dawes act also creates rules for other indian tribes that want to join the reservation. It also states that after the reservation is reorganized into private property, indians can apply to be American citizens which then allows them to work jobs that are paid by the federal government. The indians are also allowed to sell their land. The dawes act closes by explaining that a patent will be given to each indian which states that after five years that reorganization is complete, the land will be only owned by the indian and any other previous contracts or ownerships because void.