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Indian Reservations

lands set aside by treaties between the United States and the Indians for the residence of the latter. Up to 1871 these lands were fixed by treaty, but as that to some extent recognized the independence of the Indians all later arrangements have been made by act of Congress. At first the land was given unreservedly to the Indians but since 1887 the policy has been adopted of giving each individual Indian his allotted share of land, making him a citizen. Eventually under this policy the reservations will disappear entirely.

The larger reservations as they existed in 1920 are: gress the territory was divided among the individuals of each tribe. An enrollment of the members of the tribe was begun and completed on June 30, 1907.

In 1914 the allotments of land were practically completed. The discovery of oil and gas wells within the territory produced great prosperity among the Indians owning these lands which have been leased for operation. The movement for statehood in the territory began in 1892 and was followed by a Constitutional Convention held in 1905. The preference of the inhabitants of the territory was for separate statehood, but Congress, however, preferred to establish Indian Territory. The statehood bill a joint state composed of Oklahoma and was passed by Congress in June, 1906, INDIANA and on Nov. 16, 1907, Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory became the State of Oklahoma. See OKLAHOMA, and INDIANS, AMERICAN.