During the 1940s and 1950s, the US government believed that there were tribes ready to be ‘integrated’ into the mainstream American society and no longer needed or required the federal government’s protection. Under a federal termination policy, which was put into effect in 1953 and lasted officially until 1964, many of their reservations were taken over by the government as well as defunding many of their programs and institutes like schools, healthcare, etc. Approximately 2,500,000 acres of trust land were taken and 12,000 Native Americans lost their tribal affiliations. This policy caused a widespread loss of culture and community among Native Americans who lived on reservations.
Source:
“American Indian Relocation – Boundless Open Textbook.” Boundless. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2017.
Native American History 