The Curtis act of 1898 allowed the federal government to have more power over Indian affairs. The author of the law was Charles Curtis, now a Congressman. Curtis believed that the Indians should be assimilated. He supported the break-up of tribal governments and the allotment of tribal lands to their members. In 1902, at Curtis's urging, Congress ended the Kaw tribal government and reservation. Congress divided tribal lands among members. Each of 247 Kaw tribal members got . Of that, were for a house. Curtis and his son and two daughters got of land. Most Kaws sold or lost their land. By 1945, only 13 percent of the land of the former Kaw Reservation was owned by Kaws. Much former Kaw land was flooded by the creation of Kaw Lake in the 1960s. This included their Council House and cemetery at Washunga which was moved to Newkirk, Oklahoma.