Reservation Era Begins 1850-1878

1865

Civil War ends; debt peonage continues for Native Americans

Confederate General Stand Watie. Image: National Archives and Records Administration
Confederate General Stand Watie. Image: National Archives and Records Administration

Congress passes the 13th Amendment, prohibiting both slavery and involuntary servitude. The U.S. Supreme Court opts for a narrower interpretation of the 13th and 14th Amendments, focusing on African Americans and excluding Indians. For American Indians and Alaska Natives, slavery and involuntary servitude persists through debt peonage (Resendez, 2016).

Settler Colonial Policy

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