Question

What was the termination policy?

Answer 1

The termination policy was the government's practice for moving Native Americans from the reservations to the cities. This was done with two purposes. The first was to force Native Americans to assimilate into Western society. They were promised all the rights and everything else that comes with being a United States citizen, including paying taxes. Tribes were exempt from certain taxes before this policy was enacted. The second was to sever ties between the federal government and the Native American Tribes. The government found Native Americans on reservations were living in extreme poverty and felt that they would be better off. In the end the effect it had was to remove federal funding and other aid from being provided to the Native Americans. It also brought about the end of reservation life. It forced the Native Americans into assimilation, which had it own lasting issues on the tribes.