LAD #21- Dawes Act

Included in the Dawes Act, commonly known as The General Allotment Act of 1887, is eleven sections. In the first section is included the right of the President to divide tribal lands amongst the Native Americans. Section two allows Native Americans to individually chose their own allotment of land. Following this, the third section discusses the proper amount of paperwork that needs to be done to certify each land allotment. Continuing on, section four provides Native Americans not living on the reservation to receive equal land allotment, as well. Section five allowed the Secretary of the Interior to maintain some control over the allotments for a quarter of a century. More than halfway through, the sixth section declares that allotment holders may become US citizens upon the completion of the Land Patent. Section seven continues on to discuss the water and irrigation rights, section eight about the exemptions of the Five Civilized Tribes, and sections nine reassures the funding for such an act. Coming to an end, sections ten discusses the power Congress has of eminent domain, and lastly, section eleven includes a provision for the Southern Ute Indians.