1. Effects of Westward Expansion on Native Americans
AP US History
With help from Susan Pojer

2. the
plains
indians

3. Who were the Plains Indians?
Originally smaller tribes that were nomadic
Life and food was based on crops
Pumpkins, beans, corn
Hunted buffalo, but they were more of a specialty
Fairly peaceful

4. How did they become the Indians of “The West”?
Spanish brought horses in the 1500’s
Some of these ran away and became wild mustangs
Others were traded to the Indians
Native Americans were then able to hunt and travel more efficiently
This led to competition over grazing land and territory, which caused more warfare between neighboring tribes

5. What Happened to the Native Americans?
America started moving into the Great Plains from the 2 coasts
The government was giving away lands with the Homestead Act
Railroads were selling land to make money
This influx put pressure on the Native Americans for resources and land
The new settlers also brought diseases like cholera as well as guns and alcohol
Change was happening rapidly

6. Confrontation
Battles between the American Army and the Plains Indians occurred from 1820 until the end of the century
The Plains Indians had become excellent fighters on horseback with bows and guns
They were much more of a challenge for the Army and settlers than the coastal Indians had been for previous generations

7. Plan of the American Army
The American Army dealt with the Plains Indians by leading the Indians into a false sense of calm with Treaties to protect their land and then violating the treaties whenever the Army or settlers needed to.
Am I biased or what?!

8. The First Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851)
The American government promised the Plains Indians control of the Great Plains for "as long as the river flows and the eagle flies”
In return the Native Americans would guarantee safe passage for settlers on routes such as the Oregon Trail
The government also promised the Indians an annuity of $50,000 a year for 10 years
Most of which was never seen by the tribes

9. Treaty of Ft. Laramie (1851)
Colorado Gold Rush (1859)

10. Sand Creek, CO Massacre November 29, 1864 Against the Cheyenne
Chivington and soldiers wanted the gold recently found on their reservation
Attacked in the night – over 150 were killed
2/3 were women and children
Colonel John Chivington
Kill and scalp all, big and little!

11. Fetterman Massacre / Battle of 100 Slain
80 soldiers massacred December 21, 1866
Part of Red Cloud’s War -Oglala Sioux

12. 2nd Treaty of Ft. Laramie (1868)
The 2nd Treaty of Ft. Laramie was designed to end Red Cloud’s War and was signed between America the Lakota and Arapaho
Granted permanent ownership to land in the Dakotas to the Lakota - including the sacred Black Hills

13. Map of 2nd Fort Laramie Treaty
Map Legend:
Lakota Nation: Reserved by the 1868 Treaty for the unreserved use of the Lakota people
1876: Lakota reservation after the US stole the Black Hills
Lakota reservations after 100 years of court actions

14. 2nd Treaty of Ft. Laramie (1868) Treaty of Medicine Lodge Creek (1867)
Signed with Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, Arapaho, and Cheyenne – Created reservations for the tribes
Reservation Policy

15. Gold Found in the Black Hills of the Dakota Territory!
1874

16. The Battle of Little Bighorn
In 1874 Colonel George A. Custer led an invasion in the Black Hills to survey for gold. After he found gold, thousands of white miners illegally moved onto Sioux land.

17. The Battle of Little Bighorn
The army tried to remove the Sioux from the area, but Sitting Bull (a Lakota chief) had a vision of soldiers and Native Americans fighting.

18. The Battle of Little Bighorn
When Custer approached the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho encampments on the Little Bighorn River, the tribes were ready. Custer and his 7th Cavalry were defeated, but this battle marked the end of the Sioux’s fight.

19. The Battle of Little Bighorn
Various bands were taken in the winter of and Sitting Bull and his followers surrendered out of hiding in Canada in 1881 where they were suffering from hunger.
The Lakota were just one of many Native American nations that were eventually removed from their land by the whites.

20. Chief Joseph : I will fight no more forever!
Nez Percé tribal retreat (1877)

21. Geronimo, Apache War-Chief: Surrendered 1886

22. The Effect of Railroads on Native Americans
The train companies ran their track through territory previously controlled by various Native American tribes.
To stop the initial conflicts between the two groups, the railroad companies realized that the Native Americans would be weakened without a large buffalo population.
Therefore trains often stopped to allow passengers or workers to shoot as many buffalo as possible – then the buffalo were often left to rot on the prairie.

23. The Effect of Railroads on Native Americans
Shooting buffalo from a train
Buffalo Bill Cody killed over 4000 bison in 2 years to provide meat for Railroad workers

24. The Effect of Railroads on Native Americans
15 million buffalo still roamed the American plains in 1865, but by 1885 just a few thousand remained with the largest herd (a few hundred) hiding in Yellowstone National Park.
Some believe that by decimating the buffalo population, the Railroad Companies and other buffalo hunters did more damage to the Plains Indians than the American Army.

25. First national park established in 1872.
Yellowstone National Park
First national park established in 1872.

26. A Century of Dishonor (1881)
Helen Hunt Jackson
A Century of Dishonor (1881)

27. Omaha Indian  lecture tour on Native American issues in the 1870s
Susette La Flesche
Omaha Indian  lecture tour on Native American issues in the 1870s

28. Carlisle Indian School, PA
Dawes Severalty Act (1887): Assimilation Policy
Carlisle Indian School, PA

29. Americanization
The Dawes Act instituted a policy of Americanization - changing the Indians into “Americans”:
Taught Native Americans about capitalism by splitting reservations into individual plots of land
Other acts were boarding schools for children, missionaries, and teaching about “roles” for men and women

30. The Ghost Dance Tradition
The Ghost Dance began in late 1888 and reached its peak in Originally conceived by a Paiute man, the Ghost Dance was a ritual to be performed in order to rid the world of the whites and restore the earth to the Native Americans.
This hopeful practice quickly spread throughout the reservations of the Plains tribes.

31. Arapaho “Ghost Dance”, 1890

32. The Ghost Dance Tradition and Wounded Knee
The end of the Dance came in 1890 when the U.S. army massacred at least 200 Lakota men, women, and children in an attempt to put an end to the Ghost Dance.
This slaughter is known as the Wounded Knee Massacre and brought about the end of the wars between the Native Americans and white Americans.

33. The Ghost Dance Tradition and Wounded Knee

34. Indian Reservations Today

35. Crazy Horse Monument: Black Hills, SD
Lakota Chief

36. His vision of the finished memorial.
Korczak Ziolkowski, Sculptor Crazy Horse Monument
His vision of the finished memorial.

37. Mt. Rushmore: Black Hills, SD