What was the primary purpose of the Dawes Severalty Act of 1887?

The Dawes Severalty Act of 1887 aimed primarily to assimilate Native Americans into American society by allotting them individual plots of land and granting them U.S. citizenship under certain conditions. The legislation was based on the belief that by transforming communal tribal land into individually owned parcels, Native Americans would adopt Euro-American customs, particularly farming and private property ownership. This individual ownership was intended to weaken tribal identity and promote integration into mainstream American culture.

The act resulted in the allotment of tribal lands to individual Native Americans, with the excess land being opened up for non-Native settlers. The underlying assumption was that this would lead to economic self-sufficiency for Native Americans while also facilitating their cultural assimilation into white American society. As a result, the Dawes Act is often viewed as a significant step in the U.S. government's policy of assimilation during this period.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately reflect the principal intent of the Dawes Act. While promoting agricultural development was one outcome, the focus on hunting rights and formal recognition of tribes was not central to the act’s purpose. The act's emphasis on individual ownership clearly demonstrates its role in the broader agenda of assimilation rather than recognition or enhancement of existing tribal rights or autonomy.