1. Objectives Essential Questions
How were Native Americans affected by westward expansion?
How did movement westward help define the “American Dream?”

2. Indian Wars in the West
Main idea: Native Americans fought the movement of settlers westward, but the U.S. military and stream of settlers were too much.

3. Stage Set for Conflict Culture of the Plains Indians
Native American way of life depended on wild buffalo.
Main source of food, clothing, shoes, shelter, and supplies.
In 1800 there were approximately 60 million buffalo, by 1894 there were as few as 25.
In 1850s, Native Americans were moved to reservations.
Hard on many tribes because they had lived a NOMADIC lifestyle (killing buffalo meant they had to follow buffalo).

4. Setting the Stage for Conflict
Sand Creek Massacre
Cheyenne raided American ranches in 1864.
US Army offered them forgiveness if they returned to their reservation.
Returned to their reservation where US Army, led by Colonel Chivington, opened fire upon them killing 150 people.

5. The Indian Wars BUT this victory could not be sustained.
Battle of Little Bighorn:
Lakota Sioux conducting raids against white settlers
US government ordered them to stop, but they refused
Military invaded, Sioux killed military
Big victory for Native Americans.
BUT this victory could not be sustained.

6. Lunchroom Fight
How could there be different stories if no one is lying?
Who are the different people you might have seen the fight?
What might make one person’s story more believable than another persons?

7. Evaluating Sources
One question that historians face all the time is who to believe?
What makes one account more trustworthy than another?
Activity: Battle of Little Bighorn Source Evaluation