The American children of the gilded age - Research Paper Example

These include the native American-Indians and the immigrant groups from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Although they are the native inhabitants of the country, the Indians were compelled to succumb to the pressure of Americanization (Monaghan 59). Meaning, the government was committed to see them get assimilated into the mainstream American culture. Having traced their roots in America, the Indians were perceived to be conservative people who were deeply rooted in their traditional activities.

This included practices like hunting, traditional religious practices and many values and beliefs that were fiercely opposed by the westernized government. So, to assimilate them into the main system, the government came up with several policies. The most outstanding of these strategies was the introduction of western education amongst the Indians. It was thought that education would help in assimilating them into the desired culture. After the dramatic changes in 1865, the national government came up with the idea of establishing National Boarding Schools for the American Indians.

Although it was fiercely opposed by the American Indians, the government went ahead to remove the children and forcefully take them to these institutions. Here, they would be separated from the rest of the society that might influence them to embrace their native cultural practices. By taking them to the boarding schools, the government hoped, they would get an ample opportunity to learn different aspects of European-American culture without any hindrance. In these schools, the children would learn much about Christianity, English language and all the aspects of American culture that were accepted by the government.

The successful withdrawal of these children from their families would not only assimilate them into the mainstream American culture, but also put them in the right path of abandoning the aspects of the native culture