allotment
Quick Summary
In Canadian and United States history, "allotment" refers to a policy enacted in the late 19th century aimed at assimilating Indigenous peoples into Euro-American society. This policy, exemplified by the Dawes General Allotment Act in the U.S. (1887), involved dividing reservation lands into individual parcels. The intention was to encourage Indigenous individuals to become self-sufficient farmers in the "white man's image".12
However, this policy had detrimental effects. It weakened tribal social structures, and much of the land was subsequently lost to non-Indigenous settlers and speculators. In Canada, similar allotment policies also led to the loss of Indigenous land. The ultimate goal of assimilationist policies like allotment was to terminate the distinct relationship between Indigenous peoples and the national governments.123
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
- Native AmericanAllotment
Within about a decade of creating the western reservations, both Canada and the United States began to abrogate their promises that reservation land would be held inviolable in perpetuity. In Canada the individual assignment, or allotment, of parcels of land within reserves began in…
Read MoreWithin about a decade of creating the western reservations, both Canada and the United States began to abrogate their promises that reservation land would be held inviolable in perpetuity. In Canada the individual assignment, or allotment, of parcels of land within reserves began in…
Read More 
Plateau IndianThe 19th century: syncretism and disenfranchisement…a process known as “allotment,” the common title to land that had been conferred to each tribe was replaced with individual titles to farm-sized acreages; the remainder was then sold, severely reducing indigenous landholdings in the Plateau. Although legal safeguards were put into place to protect indigenous landowners from…
Read More…a process known as “allotment,” the common title to land that had been conferred to each tribe was replaced with individual titles to farm-sized acreages; the remainder was then sold, severely reducing indigenous landholdings in the Plateau. Although legal safeguards were put into place to protect indigenous landowners from…
Read More
Indigenous peoples of the American SoutheastThe late 19th century and beyond: fighting to regain sovereignty…land hunger had resulted in allotment, a federal policy under which land held in common by Native tribes was divided into parcels and dispersed. Each Indigenous head of household was assigned a parcel, as were orphans and a few other categories of individuals. The remaining land was made available to…
Read More…land hunger had resulted in allotment, a federal policy under which land held in common by Native tribes was divided into parcels and dispersed. Each Indigenous head of household was assigned a parcel, as were orphans and a few other categories of individuals. The remaining land was made available to…
Read More