What did Obama do for the Indians?

Asked by: Loyce King  |  Last update: May 18, 2025
Score: 5/5 (21 votes)

Obama also supported tribal communities through certain provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which allocated $510 million for rehabilitation of Native American housing, and the settlement of the Keepseagle case, a lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture for ...

Which president helped Native Americans?

Grant tried to juggle multiple desires. On the one hand, he called for reform in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and peaceful relations with Native Americans.

What 3 things did Obama do?

Obama signed many landmark bills into law during his first two years in office. The main reforms include: the Affordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as "the ACA" or "Obamacare", the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010.

What was the US policy toward Native Americans?

For most of the middle part of the 19th century, the U.S. government pursued a policy known as “allotment and assimilation.” Pursuant to treaties that were often forced upon tribes, common reservation land was allotted to individual families.

Which president eventually spoke out for the American Indian policy of support?

After centuries of devastating government policies, American Indians had someone in the White House willing to return tribal land, listen to grievances—and support their autonomy. When it comes to legislating on behalf of American Indians, no president has done more than Richard M. Nixon.

Obama Praises Progress on Native American Issues

17 related questions found

What president was most responsible for Indian Removal?

In the early 1800s, American demand for Indian nations' land increased, and momentum grew to force American Indians further west. The first major step to relocate American Indians came when Congress passed, and President Andrew Jackson signed, the Indian Removal Act of May 28, 1830.

Which president put Indians on reservations?

Indian Treaties, and Laws and Regulations Relating to Indian Affairs (1825) was a document signed by President Andrew Jackson in which he states that "we have placed the land reserves in a better state for the benefit of society" with approval of Indigenous reservations before 1850.

How did Native Americans lose their land?

Starting in the 17th century, European settlers pushed Indigenous people off their land, with the backing of the colonial government and, later, the fledging United States.

What did George Washington say about Indians?

Near the beginning of his first term as President, George Washington declared that a just Native American policy was one of his highest priorities, explaining that "The Government of the United States are determined that their Administration of Indian Affairs shall be directed entirely by the great principles of ...

Who created Indian affairs?

In March of 1824, the Secretary of War, John C. Calhoun, administratively established the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a sub-department within the War Department, making it one of the oldest bureaus in the U.S. Federal Government.

What is Obama most famous for?

Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African-American president in U.S. history.

What war did Obama start?

In January 2015, United States Forces began conducting drone strikes in Afghanistan under the direction of the administration of the United States President Barack Obama against Taliban militants, Pakistani Taliban (TTP) militants, ISIL branch in Afghanistan militants and Al-Qaeda militants.

Who did Barack Obama run against?

Obama defeated Romney, winning 332 Electoral College votes and 51.1% of the popular vote to Romney's 206 electoral votes and 47.2% of the popular vote. The results of the electoral vote were certified by Congress on January 4, 2013.

Which president wanted peace with the natives?

President Ulysses S. Grant advances a “Peace Policy” to remove corrupt Indian agents, who supervise reservations, and replace them with Christian missionaries, whom he deems morally superior. “Peace treaty with U.S. soldiers and their Indian allies before 1879,” ledger drawing by Little Skunk, 1879.

What caused the Indian Removal Act?

The rapid settlement of land east of the Mississippi River made it clear by the mid-1820s that the white man would not tolerate the presence of even peaceful Indians there. Pres. Andrew Jackson (1829–37) vigorously promoted this new policy, which became incorporated in the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

What did Abraham Lincoln think of Indians?

Indian policy indicated he conformed to the general social attitudes toward Native Americans in his time,” writes historian Christopher Anderson in the Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association. “He continued to view them as a foreign people that would need to be removed through purchase or conquest.”

How long did George Washington have slaves?

Despite having been an enslaver for 56 years, George Washington struggled with the institution of slavery and wrote of his desire to end the practice. At the end of his life, Washington made the decision to free all of the enslaved people he owned in his 1799 will.

What did Thomas Jefferson tell Native Americans?

The promotion of agriculture, therefore, and household manufacture, are essential in their preservation, and I am disposed to aid and encourage it liberally. In truth, the ultimate point of rest and happiness for them is to let our settlements and theirs meet and blend together, to intermix, and become one people.

What was George Washington's cause of death?

The cause of George Washington's death was a throat infection. On December 12, Washington was out on horseback supervising farm activities and it began to snow. Upon returning home, he did not change out of his wet clothes and went straight to dinner.

Do Native Americans pay taxes?

All Indians are subject to federal income taxes. As sovereign entities, tribal governments have the power to levy taxes on reservation lands. Some tribes do and some don't. As a result, Indians and non-Indians may or may not pay sales taxes on goods and services purchased on the reservation depending on the tribe.

Are Mexican people Native American?

Mexicans are, by and large, descendants of Native American and European (Spanish) ancestors [40]. Historical accounts also document African slavery in Mexico during the 16th-18th centuries [41-43], another source of admixture in the Mexican population. The admixture estimates compiled by Lisker et al.

How did white Americans feel about Native Americans?

White Americans, particularly those who lived on the western frontier, often feared and resented the Native Americans they encountered: To them, American Indians seemed to be an unfamiliar, alien people who occupied land that white settlers wanted (and believed they deserved).

How much land do Native Americans own today?

Approximately 56 million acres of land are held in trust by the United States for various Native American tribes and individuals.

In what year did Indians become full American citizens?

On June 2, 1924, Congress enacted the Indian Citizenship Act, which granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. The right to vote, however, was governed by state law; until 1957, some states barred Native Americans from voting.