What was a key motivation behind the establishment of Indian schools in the United States?

The establishment of Indian schools in the United States was primarily motivated by a desire to assimilate Native American children into mainstream American culture. These institutions aimed to educate Native American children in what were considered "American" values, practices, and languages. The belief was that by teaching children English and Western customs, Native Americans would be better integrated into society, leading to the eventual erasure of indigenous cultures in favor of that of the dominant Euro-American culture.

This educational strategy reflected a broader policy of assimilation that characterized U.S. government attitudes toward Native Americans during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was common for these schools to emphasize not only academic subjects but also vocational training that fit the needs of a rapidly industrializing nation, aimed at preparing students for lives as wage earners in a capitalist economy.

The other motivations listed, while they may have been aspects of the broader context, do not encompass the core goal of these schools as effectively as the first option. The discouragement of native language usage and the promotion of traditional culture were often consequences of the assimilation-focused curriculum. Moreover, the distribution of land to Native American families is a separate issue linked to federal policies of land allotment rather than educational initiatives.