Indian Schools

Native American assimilation into western sandwich Culture byout the 1800s and the primaeval 1900s, the American government moveed to see Native American children into the Western culture, with all the scoop up intentions (Marr Intro). Through primary and secondary sources, we learn how this was through with(p) and the mistakes they made in doing it. Primary sources, which are documents or separate sources of education created at or near the time an cause occurred, are an necessary part in understanding history.There are many an(pre nary(prenominal)inal) primary sources in the try Assimilation Through Education Indian Boarding civilises in the Pacific Northwest by Carolyn J. Marr including photographs, transcripts, journal entries, and government documents. The use of photographs has many advantages and disadvantages. Photographs are fairly accurate in describing an event. It gives the reader plenty of present and a feel for how the subjects were feeling during the eve nt by showing emotions or facial expressions that could not be expressed through written word.On the other hand, they could be very biased as to show the harshest or best conditions possible. A photo is just a brief snapshot of a moment in time, and does not illustrate a whole event that a diary or journal might tell. Also, a photographer may be biased towards their own personal views, age, religion, social, economic, or political background all of which may influence what he or she go away or wont photograph. Lastly, it is also not always construct where a photo was taken, why, and by whom. Secondary sources prove to serve a very important role in interpreting history.They include documents, books, or articles, through interpretations by historians. Some books and documents used in Marrs essay are Carey C. Collins Oregons Carlisle Teaching America? at Chemawa Indian School, Carey C. Collins Through the Lens of Assimilation Edwin L. Chalcraft and Chemawa Indian School, and Michae l C. Colemans American Indian Children at School. These sources explain the governments efforts to assimilate (the act of becoming part of some(prenominal)thing) Indians, particularly children, into the melting pot of American society. This took place from the 1800s through the 1920s (Marr Intro).I think it was necessary for the government to sweat to introduce Indians into the American culture, but I do not believe they did it correctly. Greatening education, broadening religious and cultural views, and creating strong bonds between other students were some of the advantages of this movement. Kids also received browsening water, electricity, decent food and clean clothes. Unfortunately, the iniquity done greatly outweighed the good. They stole children away from their parents and it was done so rapidly, it didnt allow Indians to try and move themselves and their children into western culture.Taking away their free will, bowel little them away from their parents, offering poor diets, overcrowding schools, poor medical attention, and excessive strained labor by the students proved to be some of the mistakes made by the governments push into the American culture (Marr Part V). The institutions disquieted work-related training to benefit the institution rather than the children, similar to slavery. It allowed the institutions to spend less by forcing free labor onto the children in fields such as farming, cooking, cleaning, blacksmithing, carpentry, etc. Marr Part IV). This reduced the hired work required to run the large institutions. This type program allowed the students to learn trade one take to survive, but for those who had ambitions to become something more, the institution would not allow it (Marr Part IV). In closing, Native American culture was attacked by our government in an attempt to better their lives. Unfortunately, they provided an atmosphere of slavery and oppression in the most real interpretation of the words. Works Cited Collins, C arey C. Oregons Carlisle Teaching America? t Chemawa Indian School, capital of South Carolina The Magazine of Northwest History, Tacoma Washington State Historical Society, Summer 1998. Collins, Carey C. Through the Lens of Assimilation Edwin L. Chalcraft and Chemawa Indian School, Oregon Historical Quarterly v. 98, no. 14 (Winter 1997-98) 390-425. Coleman, Michael C. American Indian Children at School, 1950-1930. Jackson University Press of Mississippi, 1993. Marr, Carolyn J. Assimilation Through Education Indian Boarding Schools in the Pacific Northwest. UW Libraries digital Collections. Web. 09 Sept. 2010. <http//content. lib. washington. edu/aipnw/marr. html>.