Oklahoma Statehood

Oklahoma Statehood. . By the late 1880s, the federal government had stopped making treaties with Native American tribes. Through a series of legal acts, pressure was put on the "Five Tribes" (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee Creek and Seminole) to terminate tribal sovereignty., The Curtis Act of 1898, the Atoka Agreement and its 1902 supplement authorized allotment, the process of breaking up tribal lands into smaller tracts to individuals and families. Tribal courts were stripped of authority, schools were removed from tribal control, federal support for tribal governance was withdrawn and outside settlers were encouraged to move into the area. These forces opened the way for Oklahoma statehood., In 1906, Congress enacted the Five Tribes Act the final allotment era statute for the tribes of what is now eastern Oklahoma The federal government took control over tribal government operation and possession of all tribal property., In 1907, Oklahoma entered the U.S. as the 46th state. During this time, Chickasaws again struggled to adapt to drastic challenges to their political and cultural independence. From then until 1971, the president of the United States appointed Chickasaw Nation governors., In spite of the changes that came with statehood, Chickasaws were determined to compete, survive and flourish in the new century.