Impact of Westward Movement on Native Americans USII.4a

Summary of Westward Movement: Despite harsh terrain and climate, thanks to new technologies and adaptations after the Civil War, settlers saw the West not as a wasteland but as a land full of opportunity. But there was one little problem…

…someone else was already there.

Causes of Conflicts Between American Indians and Western Settlers: Land Claims Miners and SETTLERS moved onto Indian lands. The discovery of GOLD brought thousands of miners to the West where they soon clashed with the Native American tribes.

Causes of Conflicts Between American Indians and Western Settlers Hunting Grounds The government expected Native Americans to stay on RESERVATIONS. This made hunting buffalo almost IMPOSSIBLE. The buffalo population was greatly reduced by white hunters.

Battle of Little Big Horn

Opposition by Native Americans to Westward Expansion Sitting Bull and the Battle of Little Big Horn Lieutenant Colonel CUSTER’s soldiers found GOLD in the Black Hills of the Dakota Territory and miners were anxious to get their hands on it. The U.S. responded by insisting the SIOUX sell their reservation land in the Black Hills (Sioux land considered sacred, or holy). June 25-26, 1876

Opposition by Native Americans to Westward Expansion SITTING BULL, a Sioux leader, and others joined together in protest against the U.S. Army.

Battle of Little Big Horn Custer CHARGED without waiting for reinforcements and was quickly SURROUNDED by the Sioux. Custer and many of his soldiers DIED in what the newspapers called “CUSTER’S LAST STAND” (otherwise known as the Battle of Little Bighorn). This was the WORST U.S. defeat and the LAST major victory for the Sioux.

Opposition by Native Americans to Westward Expansion Geronimo and the Apache By the 1880s, most Native Americans had STOPPED fighting, but the Apache of the Southwest continued to resist the U.S. Army. GERONIMO led a small band of raiders off the reservation. Geronimo and his men were captured and sent to Florida as PRISONERS OF WAR.

Forced Relocation to Reservations In 1861 the U.S. government negotiated a new treaty that created RESERVATIONS, areas of federal land set aside for American Indians.

Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce U.S. government promised to let the Nez Perce KEEP their homelands in northeastern Oregon, but within a few YEARS settlers asked the government to remove them. The Nez Perce were sent to a reservation in what is now OKLAHOMA.

Forced Relocation to Reservations ASSIMILATION attempts meant to try and make Native Americans behave like WHITES.

Native American Population Reduced by Warfare and Disease Diseases like MALARIA often spread throughout reservations, killing much of the Native American population.

Massacre at Wounded Knee

Native American Population Reduced by Warfare and Disease Massacre at Wounded Knee The U.S. Army came across a BAND of Sioux near Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. When the two groups faced one another, a shot rang out. U.S. troops began FIRING and killed about 150 Native Americans (nearly half were women and children). December 29, 1890

Results of Relocation and Conflict The Native American POPULATION was greatly reduced because of DISEASE and WARFARE. Whites REDUCED Native American homelands through TREATIES that often were BROKEN.

Results of Relocation and Conflict Plains Indians were forced to CHANGE the way they lived.

Blackfoot Indian Reservation, Montana