The Textbook Discusses The Process Of Assimilation After Viewing The F The textbook discusses the process of assimilation. After viewing the film, Indian School: Stories of Survival , answer the following questions: What is the definition of assimilation? What happened to the Native American children in the film? Why did the American government decide to assimilate them into Western culture? How did this affect them long term? Is acculturating others into another culture ever justified? Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from the required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references.
Paper For Above instruction Assimilation is a cultural process through which individuals or groups adopt the cultural traits or social patterns of another group, often resulting in the loss of their original cultural identity. This process can be voluntary or involuntary, but historically, it has frequently involved coercive policies aimed at eroding indigenous cultures in favor of dominant societal norms (Crapo, 2013). The film Indian School: Stories of Survival vividly illustrates this process through the experiences of Native American children sent to boarding schools designed to strip them of their cultural identities. In the film, Native American children are depicted enduring severe hardships as they are forcibly removed from their families and placed in these boarding schools. The schools, established by the U.S. government and Christian missions, sought to eradicate Native languages, traditions, and spiritual beliefs, replacing them with Western customs, Christianity, and Euro-American cultural norms. Many children were subject to physical, emotional, and psychological abuse, which inflicted lasting trauma. Their connection to their heritage was systematically severed, leading to a profound sense of loss and displacement. The American government's rationale for this aggressive assimilation policy was rooted in the belief that Indigenous peoples should adopt Western ways to "civilize" them and integrate them into American society. This approach was driven by a paternalistic attitude that viewed Native cultures as inferior or primitive and aimed at eradicating these differences to create a homogeneous national identity. The Dawes Act and the establishment of Indian boarding schools exemplify official policies aimed at cultural assimilation through education (Adams, 1995). Long-term effects of these assimilation efforts are deeply damaging. Many Native Americans experienced intergenerational trauma, loss of language and cultural practices, and diminished self-esteem. This cultural suppression contributed to ongoing socioeconomic disparities and struggles for cultural revitalization