Quaker ideology,colonialism and American Indian education |
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Authors: | Barbara Heather Marianne O. Nielsen |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Sociology , Grant MacEwan University , 10700 104 Avenue, Edmonton , AB T5J 4S2 , Canada heatherb@macewan.ca;3. Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice , Northern Arizona University , P.O. Box 15005, Flagstaff , AZ , 8601 15005 , USA |
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Abstract: | William Penn, the Quaker who founded Pennsylvania, set out to found a ‘Holy Experiment’ based on Quaker ideals. While he regarded the Native American Indians whose land he purchased as spiritual equals, he still expected them to convert to Christianity and live under British law. Later, Quakers continued to follow this goal, eventually becoming leaders, under President Grant, in the residential school system for Native American Indian children. They supported assimilation, contributing to the destruction of native culture and society, in contradiction to their principles of equality and integrity. This paper explores the process by which Quakers came to feel it necessary to pursue such measures in spite of their egalitarian beliefs. |
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Keywords: | Quakers North American Indians colonialism religion residential schools |
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