Under the original act, heads of household and minors received 160 and 40 acres respectively, with the intent of making Indians into farmers in the white man's image. This was soon changed to reduce the amount of acreage.

Under the Dawes Act, Indian life deteriorated in a manner not anticipated by its sponsors:

• The social structure of the tribe was weakened
• Many nomadic Indians were unable to adjust to an agricultural existence
• Others were swindled out of their property
• Life on the reservation came to be characterized by disease, filth, poverty, and despondency

Of the 138 million acres of Indian or tribal lands in 1887, only 48 million acres remained by 1934.

Most of the loss resulted from what was called surplus land-i.e., whatever land remained after allotments were made to Indian households, Some of the surplus lands were sold and payments made to the tribes while others were simply opened for homesteading.