Five Stages of Migration Settling the West Five Stages of Migration

Native Americans Here for at least 14,000 years before European exploration Coastal and plateau tribes Well established civilization Conflicts between tribes over fishing, hunting grounds, water supplies By late 1700’s, population rapidly declined due to European diseases

European Exploration Started in the mid 1500’s until the early 1800’s Spain, Great Britain, Russia and U.S. came to politically claim region Very little violence between explorers and Native Americans Built trading relationships Explorers believed Native Americans were simple-minded people

Fur Traders Started in the 1800’s Traded with Native Americans for furs Britain and U.S. established trading posts and employed own citizens to trap Competition between Native Americans and fur traders for space, food, and natural resources (land) Increased conflicts

Missionaries During the 1830’s and 1840’s “Christianize and Civilize” Native Americans Saw Native Americans as “noble savage” Whitman Massacre 1847 Misunderstanding between Whitmans and Native Americans about property Marcus Whitman could not cure disease Marcus Whitman brought settlers Started 30 years of wars between Native Americans and U.S. settlers. U.S. army becomes involved.

Settlers Started coming in large numbers in the 1840’s Oregon Trail Transcontinental Railroad Few violent conflicts between settlers and Native Americans U.S. Army pursues policy of genocide and confining Native Americans to reservations with or without treaties.