Legal regulation of the archaeological record has played a subtle though instrumental role in the shaping of American anthropology. Most studies of connections between politics and archaeology in analogous contexts have, however, focused on nationalisms and the popular political orchestration of archaeology. This paper grounds an analysis of the American case in legal apparatuses, disciplinary changes in anthropology, and a shift in the expression of American nationalism between the Antiquities Act of 1906 and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990. The article argues that archaeology has attained broader social significance as archaeologists now consult native peoples in the practice of archaeology. Though archaeology remains a politicized science it has become a more broadly negotiated one and the historical and cultural issues it faces may yet find resolution through laws and responsive disciplinary practices that envision a society enhanced by cultural difference.