In 1887, President Grover Cleveland signed Dawes Severalty Act mainly in order to A. keep track of Native American tribe populations.
The Dawes Severalty Act also referred to as General Allotment Act was signed in 1887 giving the president authority to take land from the Indians and redistribute it. The act aimed to destroy the close relationships between Indian tribes and also to destroy whatever was left of their cultures.
This was done because it was believed that Indians were will never become truly Americans. The land as plots was distributed to Native Americans and those who accepted it, attained citizenship. The remaining land was then sold to white settlers.
