Native Americans in the West

Native Americans Living in what was known as the “Great American Desert”…not really a desert at all Were promised that land would be theirs forever…not really Most numerous were the Plains Indians Nomadic, followed the buffalo Did not think of land as property…different from American concept of land

Threats to Indian Life Disease Gold was discovered in California Railroad was being built that needed to go through Indian Territory This need led to the government setting up reservations that would put Indians on smaller specific areas…but many are nomadic

Buffalo Migrants killed off thousands Hunters invaded, trading fur in the East Some killed for sport leaving the carcasses to rot Indians see their way of life rotting RR companies hired sharpshooters to kill those obstructing traffic (Buffalo Riders) Encouraged by US army…would keep the Indians from being nomadic

Sand Creek Massacre Indians had been attacking settlers to keep a hold on their lands…raised the distrust among settlers Unarmed Cheyenne and Arapaho are attacked by Colorado militia for no reason Killed men, women and children Indians tried to signal that they were of no threat Created even more Indian resistance and military occupation

Sand Creek Massacre

Battle of Little Big Horn Gold miners encroach on Sioux territory Sioux send out their troops and so does the US Army under Colonel Custer 250 soldiers vs. 2,000 Indians Indians charged killing Custer and all of his men

Nez Perce Were sent to a unfertile lands in Oklahoma Living on reservations and doing well but land was needed for white settlers Chief Joseph tried to escape US troops by heading into Canada Troops caught up with them and Chief Joseph surrendered “I will fight no more forever” Were sent to a unfertile lands in Oklahoma

Wounded Knee With so many threats to their way of life Indians start to practice the Ghost Dance, thought that it would Banish white settlers Bring back the buffalo Frightened the government…they order the arrest of Sitting Bull who was leading the Ghost Dance When the troops come to arrest Sitting Bull, they disarm the Indians…fire is shot?…troops react by killing over 300 Sioux Buried in a mass grave 18 Congressional Medals of Honor awarded to the troops

Blizzard hits and the bodies are left there to freeze

Assimilation Reservation life was not working so government suggested assimilation (adopting the culture and civilization of whites) Helen Hunt Jackson criticized the government’s treatment of Indians in her book A Century of Dishonor Talked of broken treaties and the plight of Indians

Dawes Severalty Act Replaced the reservation system with an allotment system Each Indian family was given 160 acres Not enough for farming in the West, only in the East Land could not be sold for 25 years Attempt to assimilate Indians by giving them land but they don’t even know how to farm