The selling of California: The Indians Claims Commission and the case of the Indians of California v. the United States

n 1851 President Fillmore appointed three commissioners to conduct treaties with the Native peoples of California. The United States wanted California opened up for settlement, and eighteen treaties were completed with several tribes. Congress never ratified these treaties, but the Native peoples of California were dispossessed of their lands and relocated onto reservations. By the end of the nineteenth century the majority of land holdings and legal title held by the Native peoples of California belonged to others. The dilemmas of the Native peoples of California were brought to public notice during the 1870s and 1880s due to several humanitarian movements that became active during this time. This eventually led to the passage of the 1928 Jurisdictional Act, a federal law that provided for Congressional examination of the land title of the Native peoples of California. The Native peoples of California prevailed in this case, proving that they once owned the area that was included in the eighteen unratified treaties. The Indians Claims Commission Act was passed on August 13, 1946, that allowed for land claims to be filed against the federal government by native groups. Three groups from California filed before the ICC claiming to represent the Native peoples. These three claims were consolidated into one case that became the Indians of California. The ICC commission would hear this case, with notable scholars testifying for the California Indians and the government. The government would propose that the Native peoples did not use all of the land area, while the California Indians would refute this theory. The ICC found in favor of the Native peoples of California, with a settlement offered of...