More than 100 tribes were terminated during this period. The Federal Government no longer recognized them as Indian nations and ended Federal supervision and control over Indians as well as any assistance.

During this period, tribes lost their governmental authority.  With the passage of Public Law 280 in 1953, State criminal and civil laws were imposed on many tribes in California, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon and Wisconsin. These policies ended in economic disaster and resulted in the loss of millions of acres of valuable land and natural resource through tax forfeiture sales.