AMIND 451 San Diego State University Indian Urban Society and Identity Essay
Can you help me understand this History question?
Choose one of the following two essay prompts. Use complete sentences and write a minimum of 300 words. Cite your supporting information and where it came from.
1. Discuss the US government’s use of a biological definition of American Indian identity based on blood quantum. Why did they institute it, and what has it been based on? How does it compare to the alternate “one-drop” policy historically applied to people of African American descent? How and when did the “one-drop” policy apply to some American Indian people as well?
2. Describe the characteristics of the urban “Indian community” and explain why is it a more meaningful concept in understanding the urban experience than is geographic location. How has the Indian community in urban areas become increasingly diverse and complex?