BLACK CODES IN LOUISIANA 1865• In defiance of Congress, many Southern states

passed local laws which restricted the freedom of black citizens. In Louisiana, such “codes” included:

• having restricted, “no go” areas for black people in towns;

• imposing 10 o’clock curfews on black people;• preventing black people from living in certain

areas;• banning meetings of black people at night;• denying the right to own firearms to black people.• All of these laws were, of course, unconstitutional.

Despite this, black people continued to be punished by fines, forced labour or whipping for violating them.

KU KLUX KLAN• In the immediate aftermath of the Civil War,

secret societies were formed in the South, just as Radical Reconstruction was taking effect.

• Their main aims were the reversal of radical reconstruction and the re-establishment of white supremacy.

• Groups like the Ku Klux Klan attacked not only black people but also white people who agreed or complied with radical reconstruction and the Civil Rights Act.

• The Ku Klux Klan carried out acts of violence on people and their property and their workplace.

• The Klan felt it was necessary to break the law to bring about their aims because they knew the law would never be changed.

*White men not interested in Indian land until gold discovered in 1849.

*Started to cross Indian land to get to California to start gold mining.

*Government goes back on word. Land given to Indians, like The Black Hills in Dakota, found to contain gold. Government tore up the 1868 treaty and allowed thousands of white miners onto Sioux land.

Sand Creek Massacre 1864

• There had been reports of Indians attacking railroads and white settlers.

• US army told to deal with the problem.

• They attacked the Cheyenne village of Chief Black Kettle at Sand Creek.

Sandcreek Massacre

• The Cheyenne warriors were out hunting when the army arrived.

• Only defenceless women and children were left. More than 450 were murdered in cold blood.

• This was said to have been a great

victory over Indian braves but the truth was it was a cowardly attack.

Peace Treaties and Reservations

• Agreements made between U.S. government and Indians: in return for land, tools, food, clothes the Indians would not attack white settlers or government land.

• Older Indians resented this change but accepted they couldn’t do anything about it.

• Younger Indians were angry and were eager to keep fighting.

• The Indians way of life changed - had to stay on a reservation. Could not move about after the buffalo anymore.

• The land and food given to them was often inferior. They felt tricked by the US government.

The Sioux Revolt

• 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty dictated that Indians had to stay on reservations.

• Sioux Indian leaders such as Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull refused to accept this.

• By 1870s, Sioux Indians were leaving

reservations in defiance of treaty. • By 1876 these Indians were declared to be

wild and hostile. General Sheridan gave the order to “round them up or wipe them out.”

General Custer• George Armstrong Custer.

• A celebrated US general who had his sight on the Whitehouse.

• Known as a fearsome Indian killer.

• Wanted glory and so tried to beat the Indians on his own.

Bighorn CampaignA plan was devised to round up escaped Sioux Indians

under ‘Crazy Horse’ in the Bighorn Valley, Dakota.

1. General Terry, (with General Custer and 7th Cavalry), was to head westward from Fort Lincoln to the northern head of the valley. There they would meet the column of General Gibbon, heading east from Fort Ellis.

2. The plan was to trap the Indians in the valley as General Crook’s column were heading north from Fort Fetterman to the south entrance to the valley.

3. However, Crook’s column suffered a surprise attack and had to retreat to Fort Fetterman.

In order for the plan to still work, General Terry sent Custer and the 7th Cavalry to replace Crook’s column.

The Indian Camp

*Camp at Little Bighorn was huge. More than 12,000 braves, women and children.

*Custer didn’t know that the Sioux’s horsemen numbered over 2,000 and they possessed modern ‘repeating’ rifles, bought from rogue white traders.

* Custer refused offer of the machine gun-style Gatling Gun believing his unit to be armed heavily enough to cope with small band of Indians with tomahawks.

* Custer told to wait for back-up, but did not wait at south valley entrance until he knew other armies were at valley’s north entrance.

* General Terry’s last words: “Don’t be greedy. Wait for us.”

* Custer: “No I won’t.”

• Custer split his men into groups of 200 and entered the valley.

• Two of his groups went along the ridge and were spotted by the Indians ruining the element of surprise.

• Custer engaged Crazy Horse in battle. He found he was vastly outnumbered. His guns jammed.

• The 7th Cavalry was completely wiped out.

Reason for loss of battle

• Custer did not wait.• His men’s old fashioned guns

jammed.• More Indians than he knew

about.• Indians had modern guns.• Custer refused machine gun-

style Gatling Guns.

BUT

* The Sioux tribe suffered terribly for their victory.

* Soldiers poured into the West and within 10 years, the Plains Indians were almost wiped out.

* Some historians call it a hollow, or ‘pyrrhic’ victory.

Manifest Destiny

• Manifest Destiny was a term first used to describe the notion that white European settlers would one day dominate and rule the whole of the north American continent.

• Obviously the Indians would think that Manifest Destiny was wrong as it went against their beliefs in the spirits owning the land.

• Therefore, Manifest Destiny could be used as a reason for “spreading white civilisation” or an excuse for greed and persecution.