Conflict on the Great Plains Chapter 12 Section 1 Conflict on the Great Plains

Conflict on the Great Plains Introduction A. 1840’s – Wagon trains started heading to Pacific coast 1. The Great Plains were called the “Great American Desert” B. Late 1800’s – Americans tried to settle area 1. Railroads 2. Towns 3. Farms 4. Ranches

Conflict on the Great Plains Disruption on the Plains A. Settlers meant destruction of Indian life 1. Disease 2. Burned timber 3. Livestock trampled grass 4. Shot antelope 5. Disrupted migration patterns of buffalo

Conflict on the Great Plains Railroad crews began laying tracks across plains 1. Lincoln had approved transcontinental railroad in 1862 a. Completed 1869 2. Buffalo were hunted to feed railroad crews which reduced number of buffalo a. Hired hunters to kill buffalo I. “Buffalo” Bill Cody

Transcontinental Railroad

Conflict on the Great Plains Years of Struggle A. Before civil War, Plains reserved for Indians B. Settlers now wanted to move west C. Government now set aside land as reservations 1. Said Indians would always have this land

Conflict on the Great Plains Broken Promises 1. More settlers began to move onto Indian lands 2. Some Native Americans resisted 3. Some signed treaties that sold land a. Did not always understand treaties

Conflict on the Great Plains Broken Promises 4. 1859 – Cheyenne and Arapaho fought gold miners a. Chief Black Kettle asked for peace b. Moved 700 followers to Sand Creek, Co c. Nov. 29, 1864, - Col. John Chivington led attack d. Almost all Natives killed e. Known as Sand Creek Massacre

Conflict on the Great Plains Broken Promises 5. Wave of protests in U.S. a. Government still insisted natives give up land 6. 1867 – Most major tribes signed treaty agreeing to move to reservations

Conflict on the Great Plains The Black Hills 1. Lakota and Dakota Sioux resisted building of trail through Black Hills in Dakota territory 2. Fought U.S. for 2 years 3. Signed treaty in 1868 a. U.S. would abandon all forts b. Natives would move onto reservations

Conflict on the Great Plains The Black Hills 4. 1874 – Col. George Custer reported gold in Black Hills 5. Gold prospectors rushed there in violation of treaty

Conflict on the Great Plains Fight Back A. Fighting between government and Plains Indians continued B. Showdown in Dakota 1. U.S. wanted to buy Black Hills from Sioux 2. Crazy Horse refused 3. Grant warned Natives 4. Tribes fought back 5. General George Crook sent to attack

Conflict on the Great Plains Fight Back C. Little Bighorn 1. 1876 – Sioux and Cheyenne attacked 2. Six hour fight led by Sioux Chief Crazy Horse 3. Crook’s men forced to retreat 4. Crazy Horse’s men camped at Cheyenne Chief Sitting Bull’s camp 5. Little Bighorn River in Montana a. Camp grew to 5,000 warriors 6. General George Custer led 225 troops toward the camp

Conflict on the Great Plains Little Bighorn 7. Custer ignored scout’s warnings 8. Sioux and Cheyenne killed Custer and all his men except one scout 9. Crazy Horse later captured and killed 10. Sitting Bull and his people put on reservation

Conflict on the Great Plains Conflicts in the Far West 1. 1877 – U.S. Government wants to open Walla Walla valley in Oregon 2. Nez Perce Indians had 30 days to move to reservation

Conflict on the Great Plains Conflicts in the Far West 3. After battle, Chief Joseph led 800 people toward Canada a. Captured less than 40 miles from border b. Sent to Oklahoma Territory c. Many died from heat and malaria d. Chief Joseph and many followers moved to reservation in Idaho

Conflict on the Great Plains Buffalo Soldiers A. By 1881 most Natives lived on reservations B. Guarded by black army units C. Called buffalo soldiers by Natives

Conflict on the Great Plains Wounded Knee A. Late 1880’s, Wovoka taught followers ritual dance said would restore lands 1. Ghost Dance B. Religious movement formed around dance C. Federal officials thought it was a war dance 1. Attempted to arrest Sitting Bull 2. Sitting Bull killed

Conflict on the Great Plains Wounded Knee D. Many Sioux fled for Badlands of South Dakota 1. U.S. soldiers caught up with them 2. Ordered them to camp along Wounded Knee 3. Confiscated guns 4. Gun went off, set off a firefight 5. 120 men, 230 women and children dead

Conflict on the Great Plains VII Call for Reform B. Most groups wanted to help Natives assimilate 1. Native children sent to boarding schools 2. Needed to be “civilized”

Conflict on the Great Plains Call for Reform C. 1887 – Dawes Act 1. Encouraged Natives to live white settlers 2. Farm separate plots of land 3. Many ended up selling land to whites a. 1887 – 1934, 138 million acres to 55 million D. 1900 – 200,000 Native Americans in U.S.