8. Government efforts to discourage native practice and languages in the USA and Canada were attempts to __________________ native groups.

A. Segregate
B. Protect
C. Eradicate
D. Assimilate
E. Support

If they drop their languages and customs and take up yours, they are more likely to be assimilated.

Support

To determine the answer, we need to analyze the given options and choose the one that accurately describes the government efforts to discourage native practices and languages in the USA and Canada.

A. Segregate: This option suggests separating or isolating native groups, which is not aligned with the historical context of the question.

B. Protect: This option implies safeguarding or preserving native groups, which contradicts the intention of discouraging their practices and languages.

C. Eradicate: This option suggests completely eliminating native groups, which, although historically true in some cases, does not accurately represent the government's efforts in the USA and Canada.

D. Assimilate: This option refers to the process of integrating native groups into the dominant culture, which aligns with historical efforts to discourage native practices and languages by promoting assimilation.

E. Support: This option suggests providing assistance or aid to native groups, which again contradicts the intention of discouraging their practices and languages.

Based on the analysis, the correct answer is:

D. Assimilate, as government efforts in the USA and Canada historically aimed to assimilate native groups into the dominant culture by discouraging their practices and languages.