What system forced Native Americans onto barren lands and restricted their way of life?

• A. Homestead Act
• B. Reservation system
• C. Urbanization policy
• D. Native American Assimilation Act

Answer: (B)

The correct answer is the reservation system, which was established primarily during the 19th century as a means for the U.S. government to manage Native American populations. This system involved designating specific areas of land, often far inferior in quality and resources to their ancestral territories, where Native Americans were forced to relocate. The intent was to confine Native Americans to certain geographical boundaries while simultaneously allowing for the expansion of European-American settlements.

The reservation system severely disrupted traditional ways of life for many tribes, relegating them to lands that were often unsuitable for agriculture or their traditional practices. It also aimed to control and assimilate Native populations by restricting their mobility, access to resources, and cultural practices.

In contrast, the Homestead Act encouraged settlement in the West by providing land to individuals willing to farm it, without specifically targeting Native American communities. The urbanization policy generally refers to trends of migration from rural to urban areas, which does not directly relate to the forced displacement of Native Americans. The Native American Assimilation Act, while it sought to integrate Native Americans into American society, focused more on cultural transformation rather than the geographical confinement that the reservation system imposed. Overall, the reservation system singularly encapsulates the forced removal and restriction of Native American peoples from their