Division by blood: Examining a history of political and racial clashes underlying American Indian identity

This thesis examines the progression of American Indian policy through history in the application of the racial designation of American Indians based upon blood quantum.Blood quantum is an arithmetic method of quantifying racial ancestry.It examines the history of intermarriage in the American Indian community and the current population trends relative to census data.Additionally, it discusses current debates over tribal membership, ethnic boundary maintenance, and Indian identity in relation to blood quantum.It concludes with a case study of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nations, where the effects of policy and other influences have culminated to affect the current tribal political struggles surrounding blood quantum.