Westward Expansion Questions

1. What are some of the main reasons that the federal government's policy of assimilation failed?
I think the federal government's policy of assimilation failed because it was almost impossible for such a different culture to just change their ways to an American life style from their own that they had grown up with and were accustomed to. The culture of white settlers strongly different from the culture of the Native Americans. For example the Native Americans believed that land couldn't be owned, white the white settlers strongly believed so. Also the attitudes towards Native Americans of the whites weren't very polite or accepting at all. The government had also made a treaty that stated the Great Plains land all belonged to the Native Americans. But then in 1850 they changed it causing the Native Americans to be furious. I really don't see how the government even thought that assimilation was an option.


2. How successful were government efforts to promote settlement of the Great Plains? Give examples to support your answer.
I think that the government had done a good job getting settlers to move into the Great Plains but it caused alot of farmers financial problems and settlers underwent droughts, floods, fires, blizzards, and plaids. But despite these unknown problems, in 1889 Oklahoma, which provided much land, attracted thousands of people after the government had strengthened the Homestead Act. As time went on settlers kept filling in the Western land.