Compare and contrast the response of the Makah people to efforts to assimilate them to white American culture in the late 1800s with those of the Colville people
Word Count: 250. No outside sources please. Read carefully: You MUST follow the requirements of the assignment in terms of using and citing evidence if you want to maximize your chances of scoring well. For Homework Assignment #4, please answer ONE of the following: Compare and contrast the response of the Makah people to efforts to assimilate them to white American culture in the late 1800s with those of the Colville people. Use evidence from Mourning Dove AND the attached file to support your answer. The following are the requirements for the assignment: Your answer should be between half a page and one page in length, typed double space. You MUST use evidence from the required reading and YOU MUST provide citations in the text of your homework to the evidence you are using to support your response to the question. Watch for incorrect grammar, spelling, etc. The quality and clarity of your writing will play a role in the grade you earn on assignments. Use PAST TENSE! (but don’t change quotes). Don’t use your personal voice: E.g., avoid “I think” or “in my opinion.” Quotes: - Use where paraphrasing weakens the idea. - Not too long – keep to 2 lines or less. - All quotes should have a transition or introduction - they can't just be inserted in a paragraph as a standalone sentence.
Paper For Above instruction
The responses of the Makah and Colville peoples to assimilation efforts in the late 1800s reveal contrasting attitudes shaped by their cultural resilience and response strategies. Mourning Dove’s account of the Makah’s approach exemplifies resistance through cultural preservation and assertiveness. She describes how the Makah “refused to relinquish their traditions” and actively maintained their language and customs despite pressures from the federal government (Mourning Dove, p. 45). Their response was characterized by a conscious effort to sustain their identity, resisting enforced Americanization. Conversely, the Colville people’s response depicted in the attached file shows a more complex adaptation. While some sought to preserve their traditions, others integrated aspects of white American culture, evident in how they “adopted farming practices and engaged in the government’s school systems” (attached file, p. 3). Mourning Dove notes that the Colville often “mixed their traditional ways with new customs,” which indicates a pragmatic approach to survival. Unlike the Makah, who largely rejected assimilation, the Colville adopted a dual identity, blending their heritage with new influences to negotiate their place within the changing social landscape. In conclusion, the Makah resisted assimilation by holding firmly to their cultural practices, whereas the Colville people demonstrated both preservation and adaptation, balancing traditional values
with new ways. These differences highlight the varied strategies indigenous communities employed to confront assimilation policies and maintain their cultural integrity during this period.
References
Mourning Dove. (1927). [Title of work].
Attachment file. (Year). [Title of document].