What caused the Alcatraz Occupation?
In the early centuries, when America was discovered, the Native Americans were a sovereign (self governing) nation, but the treaties they made with the white settlers were often broken. Later in 1828, the government changed the policy to relocation of Native American Tribes. Native Americans lost 2,500,000 acres of land, and at least 46,000 Native Americans were relocated. In 1953 the government passed the termination policy. Indians were assimilated and forced to fulfill the roles of American Citizens. Native Americans were promised vocational training, financial assistance, and a decent home, but most Indians were moved into the city slums. The Native Americans that were affected by these changes begged for the government to respect the treaties and listen to their negotiations. The government wanted nothing to do with them, and therefore the Native Americans had to take a stand.
"Alcatraz was a big enough symbol that for the first time this century Indians were taken seriously," Vine Deloria Jr.
"Indian lands were being drained. Indians were marked for destruction so that the government could take over the lands and the coal, oil, uranium, timber and water on them,"
Adam Fortunate Eagle
Adam Fortunate Eagle