The Act encouraged activities of benevolent societies in providing education for Native Americans and authorized an annuity to stimulate the "civilization process".

In 1891 through the early 20th century, the government used the Civilization Fund Act as authority to establish numerous Native American boarding schools.

[citation needed] Some of these young men with education and command of the English language rose to leadership positions within tribes, as in the American Southeast.

According to historian William Jeynes, they were influenced to agree to treaties that ceded communal lands to the United States government.

[3] Within the tribal communities, some leaders believed that, given the increasing number of American settlers entering their territories, the tribes were going to be forced to cede their lands, and they were trying to gain the best deals for their people.