The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is Assimilation.
Assimilation is the process by which a person or a group’s culture, language, and social customs come to resemble those of another, typically more dominant, group. The two photographs of Tom Torlino provide a stark and powerful visual representation of the United States government’s policy of forced assimilation toward Native Americans during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The image on the left shows Tom Torlino, a member of the Navajo Nation, as he appeared before his time at a government-run boarding school. His long hair, traditional clothing, and jewelry are all expressions of his distinct cultural identity and heritage. For many Native American tribes, long hair held deep spiritual and cultural significance, and his attire connected him to his community and ancestors.
The image on the right shows Tom Torlino after he was subjected to the assimilation process at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. The school’s founder, Richard H. Pratt, operated under the motto, “Kill the Indian in him, and save the man.” This philosophy aimed to systematically eradicate Native American culture. Students were forced to cut their hair, abandon their traditional clothing for Western-style suits, and were forbidden from speaking their native languages or practicing their customs. The transformation seen in the photograph, from his haircut to his suit and tie, was not a personal choice but a coercive measure designed to strip him of his Navajo identity and impose Euro-American cultural norms upon him.
The other options are incorrect. Relocation refers to the physical moving of people, which, while part of the broader history, does not specifically describe this cultural change. Appropriation is the act of taking elements from another culture, which is the opposite of what is happening here. Abolition refers to ending a practice or institution, such as slavery, and is not relevant to this context.
