How did the dawes act divided native American land?

The Dawes Act of 1887 aimed to assimilate Native Americans into American society by dividing communal tribal lands into individual plots. Each Native American family was allotted a specific parcel, typically 160 acres, while the surplus land was sold to non-Native settlers. This legislation sought to undermine tribal sovereignty and communal living, leading to significant loss of tribal land and cultural identity. Ultimately, it resulted in the erosion of Native American landholdings, transitioning much of it into private ownership.