Atoka Agreement facts for kids

The Atoka Agreement was an important document signed on April 23, 1897. It was an agreement between leaders of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Native American Nations and the Dawes Commission, which represented the United States government. This signing happened in Atoka, which was then called Indian Territory.

The Atoka Agreement: A Big Step for Native American Lands

The Atoka Agreement was a major step in how land was managed in the Indian Territory. This territory is now part of Oklahoma. The agreement aimed to change how Native American lands were owned.

What the Agreement Said About Land

Before this agreement, the land belonged to the entire tribe as a community. The Atoka Agreement planned to divide these shared tribal lands. Each family in the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations would receive their own piece of land. These families had to be officially recognized as citizens of their tribes.

Any land left over after these individual portions were given out could be sold. People who were not Native Americans could buy these extra lands.

The agreement also set aside certain areas. These were called "coal and asphalt lands." These lands were rich in natural resources. They were not divided among families. Instead, they were to be sold or rented out. The money earned from them would help both the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes.

Why the Agreement Was Made

One main goal of the Atoka Agreement was to prepare the Indian Territory to become a state. To do this, the United States government wanted to end the tribes' claims to the land as a whole.

The agreement also planned to end the tribal governments by March 4, 1906. The federal government believed that if Native American families owned their own farms, like European Americans, they would become more like the majority culture and do better.

How the Agreement Was Approved

The Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes first approved the agreement in November 1897. However, the Chickasaw Nation had a rule that its voters had to approve such a document. The Chickasaw voters rejected it.

Later, the Curtis Act of 1898 was passed by the U.S. Congress. This act required that the Atoka Agreement be voted on again by both nations. So, the agreement was approved in a joint election on August 24, 1898.

Leading to Statehood

The Atoka Agreement was an important step toward the Indian Territory becoming a state. Charles N. Haskell, a key figure at the time, later said that the agreement was made with the idea of statehood in mind. It even mentioned that the lands of the "Five Civilized Tribes" should be prepared to become a state.

At first, there was no plan to include Oklahoma Territory in this new state. The Native American tribes did not want to be part of a state where white settlers would have more control in the government.

This agreement directly led to the Sequoyah Constitutional Convention. At this meeting, a constitution was written for a proposed state called "Sequoyah." This constitution was then voted on by the people living in Indian Territory.

Haskell was not sure if Congress would accept the idea of the State of Sequoyah. He met with the tribal chiefs and told them:

"I told the governors that I did not believe that Congress would grant statehood but that they were entitled to it under the (Atoka Agreement of 1898) Treaty," Haskell said. "I told them in the event we failed to secure statehood for Indian Territory that I wanted them to accept the verdict of Congress and support statehood for the two territories."

Haskell stated that all representatives from the Five Civilized Tribes agreed to this plan.