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