The Dawes Act of 1887 served the purpose of replacing the lands that were previously possessed by Native Americans with individually owned properties. The act relocated Native Americans to reservations that were determined beforehand. The Natives were forced onto sections of land that could be observed at any given time. Each person was given a certain amount of land, and the head of the family was given a quarter of the land. If they weren't granted land on the reservation, they were permitted to live somewhere else in the US. The act was valid for 25 years, and then the President would have to decide whether to continue or end the act. It also gave all Native Americans the benefits of being under American law and equal rights as Americans. The government had the power to use the land for whatever they wanted for 5 years, and then after that point, the Natives were able to keep the land forever.
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