This photograph shows a government official issuing an annuity payment to
a band of Southwestern Chippewa in Wisconsin, about 1871.  Many treaties
between the U.S. government and Indian tribes provided for annual
payments, which would compensate the Indians for the land they agreed to
give over.  Annuity payments were often delayed, mainly because of the
slow, bureaucratic methods by which treaties were ratified.  Other
problems arose when the government was unable or unwilling to enforce the
terms of the treaty.  Thought the treaty system was abandoned in 1871 with
an act of Congress, prior agreements remained in effect.  After 1871,
Indian land holding continued to diminish, but as a result of negotiations
and purchases, instead of treaties as under the old system.