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“Anglo” conformity

The values of the early English colonists became “American” values

– Perpetuated ever since

– Abandon your ethnic heritage; become American!

– Homogeneity, harmony valued over diversity

– “Americanization” of Native Americans is one example

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Native American boarding schools

• Native Americans = obstacles to US expansion into new western territories– Liberal spokesman of the era: “We must either butcher

them or civilize then and what we do we must do quickly.”

• The new “enlightened” policy of late 1880s replaced genocide, expulsion etc.:– “Americanize” them

– Founder of 1st school: "A great general has said that the only good Indian is a dead one. In a sense, I agree with the sentiment, but only in this: that all the Indian there is in the race should be dead. Kill the Indian in him, and save the man."

• http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16516865

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Before & after: Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding school

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….or this

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=native+american+boarding+schools&view=detail&id=2B5CBAF4582F21838911D4EB7B9B232D552EE518&first=91&FORM=IDFRIR

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Preventing “back to the blanket”

• First “Americanization” schools on reservations– But proximity to parents = return to Indian values aka

“back to the blanket”

– In order to teach American values “to respect private property…to realize that the accumulation of personal wealth is a moral obligation”• It became necessary to remove from their parents,

homes

• Removal to boarding schools far from home– Not permitted to return

– One of the most famous boarding school students…..

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Jim Thorpe

• James FrancisAll-American halfback at Carlisle, 1912 Olympic decathlon champion ... 1st big-name athlete to play pro football, signing with pre-NFL Canton Bulldogs in 1915 ... Named "The Legend" on the all-time NFL team ... Voted top American athlete of first half of 20th century ... First president of the NFL (first known as American Professional Football Association), 1920 ... Born May 28, 1888 in Prague, Oklahoma ... Died March 28, 1953, at age of 64

http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?player_id=213

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Questions or comments?