Who Occupied

Alcatraz,and Why?
By: Christopher Carbone Jr. and Brandon
Ruelas
Initial Hypothesis
We think that prisoners occupied Alcatraz
but the government controlled the facility.
Which Race was Most Likely to be Prisoner at Alcatraz Before it Closed?
When Alcatraz, became a prison, there were many prisoners, but the majority
of the prisoners were American Indians. They mostly ended up in Alcatraz by
resisting the colonization of the Americans or disrupted peace treaties. They
were held at the disciplinary barracks. This happened from the 1800s to the
1900s.
What happened after Alcatraz
closed down?
On November 20,1969, a group of Native American college students went to
Alcatraz and occupied it. It was an unarmed takeover. Their reasons were for
human rights for Indians. They were fed up that that they were being treated
unfairly.
How Did the Government react to
this?
The government couldnt take the island by force because it would look bad on
the government's behalf. So to stop passage to and from the island, they
established a blockade to stop Indians from going through. Ultimately, it failed
because it was poorly maintained. Eventually, the government did take the
island by force, but only when the population was at its lowest, 15 people.
What Were the Indians
Negotiations?
The Indians demanded the deed of the island and the establishment of a
museum, a cultural center, and other various buildings on the island. The
government denied all of their requests and insisted that they leave the island.

The government was never going to build a university on Alcatraz or give them 300,000 for a cultural center...or even
give them the title to Alcatraz. -Bradley Patterson.
What Led to the Downfall Of the
Occupation?
There were several variables that led to the downfall of Alcatraz.
The leaders stepdaughter fell down 3 stairwells to her death. This caused
the leader to withdraw from the island. When he left, two groups rose to
take power and conflicts arose.
The government cut off power to the island and took out the barge that
was supplying water to the occupiers. Three days later, a fire broke out
and historic buildings were destroyed. No one knows how it started. This
led to the population declining.
The Aftermath of Alcatraz
Occupation
The occupation of Alcatraz brought Indian Rights issues to the attention to the
government and the public. It also ended the termination of the government
removing Indians from their reservations. The Indians never received any of the
things they demanded but they accomplished their goal awakening the
American public to the reality of the situation.
Citations:
1.United States. National Park Service. "We Hold the Rock." National Parks Service. U.S. Department
of the Interior, 10 Sept. 2014. Web. 10 Sept. 2014.

2."Alcatraz: Occupation by The American Indian Movement (AIM)." Alcatraz: Occupation by The
American Indian Movement (AIM). Web. 10 Sept. 2014.

3.Lapin, Nicole, and Kristopher Campa. "1969 Alcatraz Takeover 'changed the Whole Course of
History'" CNN. Cable News Network, 20 Nov. 2009. Web. 10 Sept. 2014.

4. Johnson, Troy R. American Indian Activism. Illinois. 1 Jan. 1997. Web. 10 Sept. 2014.

5."Alcatraz Is Not An Island." PBS. PBS. Web. 10 Sept. 2014.
Which way is right?











Which way is wrong?