Which of the following was a practice in Indian Boarding Schools?

Which of the following was a practice in Indian Boarding Schools?

• A. Emphasis on agricultural skills
• B. Encouragement to maintain Native languages
• C. Immersion in Euro-American culture and religion
• D. Promotion of Native American art forms

Answer: (C)

The practice of immersion in Euro-American culture and religion was a central feature of Indian Boarding Schools. These institutions were established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the goal of assimilating Native American children into mainstream American culture. The curriculum was designed to eradicate Native cultural practices, languages, and beliefs, replacing them with those of Euro-American society. This included teaching Christianity, Western education, and European customs, often through strict disciplinary measures. In this environment, students were often discouraged or outright forbidden from speaking their native languages or practicing their cultural traditions, which reinforced the emphasis on adopting Euro-American identity. Consequently, these schools aimed to shape a new identity for Native American youth, prioritizing Euro-American values over indigenous heritage.

The practice of immersion in Euro-American culture and religion was a central feature of Indian Boarding Schools. These institutions were established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the goal of assimilating Native American children into mainstream American culture. The curriculum was designed to eradicate Native cultural practices, languages, and beliefs, replacing them with those of Euro-American society. This included teaching Christianity, Western education, and European customs, often through strict disciplinary measures.

In this environment, students were often discouraged or outright forbidden from speaking their native languages or practicing their cultural traditions, which reinforced the emphasis on adopting Euro-American identity. Consequently, these schools aimed to shape a new identity for Native American youth, prioritizing Euro-American values over indigenous heritage.