The Indian The Indian WarsWars
AHII Unit 1 Part A: Conflict
11stst Treaty of Fort Treaty of Fort LaramieLaramie
18511851 8 Native American 8 Native American
groups agreed to groups agreed to specific limited specific limited geographic geographic boundaries in boundaries in return for the US return for the US government government promising to honor promising to honor those boundaries those boundaries foreverforever
Settlers Move Into the Settlers Move Into the Great PlainsGreat Plains
Deprived natives of Deprived natives of their hunting their hunting groundsgrounds
Ignored treaties Ignored treaties signed by US signed by US governmentgovernment
Forced the Indians to Forced the Indians to move further westmove further west
Occasionally, Indian Occasionally, Indian groups would resist groups would resist or retaliateor retaliate
The BuffaloThe Buffalo Plains Indians relied Plains Indians relied
on the buffalo as on the buffalo as their primary source their primary source of food, clothing, & of food, clothing, & sheltershelter
As more settlers As more settlers entered the plains, entered the plains, the buffalo hunting the buffalo hunting grounds were grounds were disturbeddisturbed
The Buffalo Start to The Buffalo Start to DisappearDisappear
Settlers killed animals to Settlers killed animals to protect their cropsprotect their crops
Professional hunters killed Professional hunters killed many for their hides which many for their hides which were popular in the eastwere popular in the east
Sport hunters killed many Sport hunters killed many just for funjust for fun
Railroad companies hired Railroad companies hired sharpshooters to kill sharpshooters to kill buffalo to keep them from buffalo to keep them from blocking the tracksblocking the tracks
The US Army killed many The US Army killed many to deprive the Indians of to deprive the Indians of food and force them onto food and force them onto the reservationsthe reservations
Dakota Sioux Dakota Sioux UprisingUprising
Dakota Sioux had agreed Dakota Sioux had agreed to stay on a reservation in to stay on a reservation in MinnesotaMinnesota
US government had US government had agreed to pay annuities to agreed to pay annuities to Indians on the reservationIndians on the reservation
Corrupt traders and Corrupt traders and officials often cheated officials often cheated Indians out of their Indians out of their annuitiesannuities
In 1862, Congress delayed In 1862, Congress delayed paying the annuities due paying the annuities due to the Civil War, resulting to the Civil War, resulting in widespread hunger in widespread hunger among the Siouxamong the Sioux
Chief Little CrowChief Little Crow Asked traders to sell Asked traders to sell
the Sioux food on the Sioux food on credit until the credit until the annuities were paidannuities were paid
Traders refused; one Traders refused; one replied “let them eat replied “let them eat grass or their own grass or their own dung”dung”
In desperation, the In desperation, the Sioux took up armsSioux took up arms
Little Crow tried to limit Little Crow tried to limit the violence, but angry the violence, but angry Indians killed hundreds Indians killed hundreds of white settlers before of white settlers before federal troops arrivedfederal troops arrived
Sioux Uprising Sioux Uprising EndsEnds
Military courts Military courts sentenced 307 sentenced 307 Dakota Sioux to Dakota Sioux to death, but President death, but President Lincoln reduced the Lincoln reduced the number to 38number to 38
Many of the Sioux Many of the Sioux left Minnesota and left Minnesota and took refuge in the took refuge in the Dakota TerritoryDakota Territory
Sand Creek Massacre Sand Creek Massacre (1864)(1864)
US forced Cheyenne to give US forced Cheyenne to give up lands promised to them by up lands promised to them by treatytreaty
Cheyenne retaliated by Cheyenne retaliated by attacking settlements in attacking settlements in ColoradoColorado
Colorado governor ordered Colorado governor ordered the Cheyenne to surrender at the Cheyenne to surrender at Ft. Lyon or face the Ft. Lyon or face the consequencesconsequences
Cheyenne under Chief Black Cheyenne under Chief Black Kettle arrived at Ft. Lyon to Kettle arrived at Ft. Lyon to negotiate a peace treaty and negotiate a peace treaty and made camp at Sand Creekmade camp at Sand Creek
US forces attacked the US forces attacked the unsuspecting Cheyenne, unsuspecting Cheyenne, killing about 270, including killing about 270, including women and children in women and children in retaliation for the Cheyenne’s retaliation for the Cheyenne’s earlier attacks on settlersearlier attacks on settlers
Lakota Sioux Vow to Lakota Sioux Vow to Defend Their TerritoryDefend Their Territory
After the trouble with After the trouble with the Dakota Sioux, US the Dakota Sioux, US Army began to patrol Army began to patrol into the Great Plains to into the Great Plains to prevent other Sioux prevent other Sioux from organizingfrom organizing
The nomadic Lakota The nomadic Lakota Sioux were determined Sioux were determined to defend their territory to defend their territory against incursion by against incursion by both white settlers and both white settlers and the Armythe Army
Several conflicts Several conflicts ensuedensued
Red CloudRed Cloud 1822 – 19091822 – 1909 Lakota SiouxLakota Sioux Led Sioux in Red Led Sioux in Red
Cloud’s War (1866-68)Cloud’s War (1866-68) Later traveled to Later traveled to
Washington and met Washington and met with Pres. Grantwith Pres. Grant
Did not take part in Did not take part in later Sioux uprisings, later Sioux uprisings, instead pursuing more instead pursuing more peaceful effortspeaceful efforts
Fetterman Massacre Fetterman Massacre (1866)(1866)
Capt. William Capt. William Fetterman and 80 Fetterman and 80 soldiers were lured soldiers were lured out of their fort out of their fort along the Bozeman along the Bozeman Trail in Wyoming by Trail in Wyoming by Lakota Chief Red Lakota Chief Red CloudCloud
They walked into an They walked into an ambush and were ambush and were wiped out by the wiped out by the LakotaLakota
Indian Peace CommissionIndian Peace Commission Formed by Congress in Formed by Congress in
1867, toured the Great 1867, toured the Great PlainsPlains
Concluded problems were Concluded problems were due to incursions by whites due to incursions by whites into Indian territoryinto Indian territory
Proposed creating 2 large Proposed creating 2 large reservations on the plains reservations on the plains which would be managed which would be managed by agents of the Bureau of by agents of the Bureau of Indian AffairsIndian Affairs
US Army would be given US Army would be given full authority to deal with full authority to deal with Indians who did not move Indians who did not move to the reservationsto the reservations
Plan didn’t work due to Plan didn’t work due to resistance from the Indiansresistance from the Indians
22ndnd Treaty of Ft. Laramie Treaty of Ft. Laramie (1868)(1868)
Also called the Sioux Also called the Sioux Treaty of 1868Treaty of 1868
Guaranteed the Lakota Guaranteed the Lakota ownership of the Black ownership of the Black Hills in the Dakotas, as well Hills in the Dakotas, as well as hunting rights as hunting rights elsewhereelsewhere
Gold miners would violate Gold miners would violate the treaty, triggering later the treaty, triggering later uprisingsuprisings
The Lakota sued the US The Lakota sued the US government in 1980 for government in 1980 for violation of this treaty, violation of this treaty, winning $120 million in winning $120 million in damages; Lakota refused damages; Lakota refused the money and continue to the money and continue to press for return of their press for return of their landslands
Crazy HorseCrazy Horse 1840 – 18771840 – 1877 Lakota SiouxLakota Sioux Took part in the Took part in the
Fetterman MassacreFetterman Massacre Later led the Sioux in Later led the Sioux in
the Battle of Little Big the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876Horn in 1876
After surrendering to After surrendering to US troops in 1877, he US troops in 1877, he was shot while was shot while “resisting” his guards“resisting” his guards
George Armstrong George Armstrong CusterCuster
1839 – 18761839 – 1876 Civil War veteranCivil War veteran Graduated last in his Graduated last in his
class at West Pointclass at West Point Flamboyant officer Flamboyant officer
whose career was whose career was marked by scandals marked by scandals and a failed effort to and a failed effort to accept command of accept command of the Mexican Army the Mexican Army under Benito Juarezunder Benito Juarez
Sent to fight Indians Sent to fight Indians to get him away from to get him away from WashingtonWashington
Battle of Little Big Battle of Little Big HornHorn
Custer’s Last StandCuster’s Last Stand June 25, 1876June 25, 1876 Custer launched a Custer launched a
cavalry attack on a cavalry attack on a group of 2500 Sioux & group of 2500 Sioux & Cheyenne warriorsCheyenne warriors
The Indians repulsed the The Indians repulsed the attack, then surrounded attack, then surrounded Custer’s detachment Custer’s detachment and killed him and all and killed him and all 210 of his men210 of his men
Last major Indian victoryLast major Indian victory
The Ghost DanceThe Ghost Dance Lakota had finally relented Lakota had finally relented
in 1877 and settled on a in 1877 and settled on a reservation under Chief reservation under Chief Sitting BullSitting Bull
Lakota had begun Lakota had begun performing a ritual known performing a ritual known as the Ghost Dance, a as the Ghost Dance, a celebration of a hoped-for celebration of a hoped-for day when the white day when the white settlers would disappear, settlers would disappear, the buffalo would return, the buffalo would return, and all of the Indian’s dead and all of the Indian’s dead ancestors would come ancestors would come backback
In 1890, federal agents In 1890, federal agents ordered an end to the ordered an end to the Ghost Dance, but the Ghost Dance, but the Lakota ignored the orderLakota ignored the order
Sitting BullSitting Bull 1831 – 18901831 – 1890 Holy man, and one of Holy man, and one of
the Sioux leaders at the Sioux leaders at Little Big HornLittle Big Horn
Sitting Bull was blamed Sitting Bull was blamed for the Lakota’s for the Lakota’s defiance over the Ghost defiance over the Ghost Dance and ordered Dance and ordered arrestedarrested
Police were sent to Police were sent to arrest Sitting Bull, but arrest Sitting Bull, but his supporters resisted his supporters resisted his arrest; a gun battle his arrest; a gun battle broke out and Sitting broke out and Sitting Bull and 13 others were Bull and 13 others were killedkilled
Wounded KneeWounded Knee Angered over Sitting Angered over Sitting
Bull’s death, the Ghost Bull’s death, the Ghost Dancers left the Dancers left the reservation, breaking reservation, breaking their treaty agreementtheir treaty agreement
US troops pursuedUS troops pursued Dec. 29, 1890: the two Dec. 29, 1890: the two
groups met at groups met at Wounded Knee Creek, Wounded Knee Creek, resulting in a battleresulting in a battle
25 US soldiers and 25 US soldiers and about 200 Lakota about 200 Lakota (mostly women, (mostly women, children, and the children, and the elderly) diedelderly) died
Chief Joseph & the Nez Chief Joseph & the Nez PercePerce
Nez Perce refused to give Nez Perce refused to give up their assigned up their assigned reservation in Idaho in reservation in Idaho in 18771877
US Army threatened to US Army threatened to forcibly relocate them; forcibly relocate them; violence broke out and the violence broke out and the Nez Perce fled, trying to Nez Perce fled, trying to reach Canadareach Canada
Retreated 1300 miles and Retreated 1300 miles and got within 30 miles of got within 30 miles of Canadian border before Canadian border before being cut off by the Army being cut off by the Army and surrenderingand surrendering
Forced to relocate to the Forced to relocate to the Indian Territory (Oklahoma)Indian Territory (Oklahoma)
Helen Hunt Helen Hunt JacksonJackson
1830 – 18851830 – 1885 Wrote Wrote A Century of A Century of
DishonorDishonor (1881) (1881) Exposed the shameful Exposed the shameful
way the US way the US government and Army government and Army had treated the had treated the Indians, chastised Indians, chastised Congress to make Congress to make amendsamends
Created concern for Created concern for the plight, led the plight, led Congress to try to find Congress to try to find a new approach to a new approach to Indian relationsIndian relations
The Dawes Act of 1887The Dawes Act of 1887 Sponsored by Sponsored by Sen. Henry Sen. Henry
DawesDawes of Massachusetts of Massachusetts Abolished tribal Abolished tribal
organizationsorganizations Broke up communally held Broke up communally held
reservation land by allotting reservation land by allotting each Indian head of each Indian head of household 160 acres for household 160 acres for farming; single adults farming; single adults received 80 acres, children received 80 acres, children each received 40 acreseach received 40 acres
Remaining reservation land Remaining reservation land was sold to white settlers was sold to white settlers with the money going into a with the money going into a trust set aside for Native trust set aside for Native AmericansAmericans
AssimilationAssimilation Dawes Act was a failureDawes Act was a failure Land allotted was of poor Land allotted was of poor
qualityquality Indians had little interest or Indians had little interest or
experience in farming, experience in farming, didn’t want to be didn’t want to be assimilated into “American-assimilated into “American-style” of lifestyle” of life
Many sold their allotmentsMany sold their allotments Didn’t like loss of Didn’t like loss of
reservation land to white reservation land to white settlerssettlers
Agents put in charge were Agents put in charge were often corrupt or biasedoften corrupt or biased
Indian problem was solved Indian problem was solved by the decrease in Indian by the decrease in Indian population due to hunger population due to hunger and diseaseand disease
Reservations TodayReservations Today