Assimilation

Real World Example

During the period of Western Expansion from 1880-1900, assimilation referred to the efforts by the U.S. government to transform Native American culture into European-American culture. This was important at the time because the government aimed to integrate Native Americans into American society by encouraging them to adopt European customs, language, and lifestyles, often through policies like the Indian Boarding Schools. These efforts responded to the belief that assimilating Native Americans would help them survive in a rapidly changing world but often led to the loss of cultural identity and heritage. Today, the concept of assimilation still matters as people from different backgrounds might face pressure to fit into dominant cultural norms, risking the erasure of their unique traditions. For instance, a student from a diverse background might feel pressured to hide aspects of their culture to fit in at school, highlighting the ongoing challenge of balancing cultural identity with societal expectations.