Post-Civil War reformers believed they were improving US Indian policies by promoting assimilation through education and land allotment, aiming to integrate Native Americans into mainstream society. While some reforms, like the establishment of boarding schools, did provide education opportunities, they often resulted in cultural erasure and trauma for Indigenous communities, showing the untrue aspect of the reformers’ intentions. Conversely, the implementation of land allotments via the Dawes Act did lead to land loss and fragmentation of tribal structures, illustrating the negative impact of well-meaning policies on Native American sovereignty and culture.