How did boarding schools try to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-American culture?

Boarding schools in the United States and Canada were established to systematically dismantle Indigenous cultures and assimilate children into Euro-American society. This policy was driven by the goal of breaking ties between children and their families, communities, and lands, which officials believed would facilitate the acquisition of Indigenous territory.12

To achieve this, administrators employed various psychological and material techniques:

• Cultural Erasure: Upon arrival, children were forced to abandon their traditional clothing for uniforms and have their hair cut in Euro-American styles. They were strictly forbidden from speaking their Native languages, and any expression of Indigenous culture—including songs, dances, stories, or religious practices—was met with severe punishment, such as beatings, forced labor, or the withholding of food.32
• Forced Conversion: Schools were often run by religious institutions that commingled secular subjects with mandatory Christian religious instruction.23
• Isolation and Control: By placing schools far from reservations, authorities sought to sever the influence of Indigenous families.12
• Abuse: The system was characterized by rampant physical and sexual abuse, neglect, and poor living conditions, which led to widespread trauma and the deaths of many children.243