Native Americans Clash With Settlers

Ms Fishel - February 2014

More forced removal

Chief Black Hawk of the Sauk Tribe was told of a vision�

“The big black bird hawk would lead Native Americans to win back the old homes of their people; back would come the buffalo..”

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Black Hawk rebelled against US, 200 Sauk/Fox Indians were killed by the Illinois militia and their tribes were forced west of the Mississippi River

Fort Laramie Treaty - 1851

US needs to respond to the fears of American settlers

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Select Native American tribes would control the Central Plains and tribes would promise not to attack settlers and allow to gov’t to build roads/forts

Important Tribes of the Great Plains

Cheyenne (Shy-anne)

Sioux (Sue)

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• Horses (from guns) and guns (from traders) allowed Native tribes to hunt more and in bigger areas

Buffalo

Skull

Horns

Bones

Hoofs

Hide

Plains Indians Way of Life

• Buffalo is important to all aspects of life
• hides, food, use of bones
• hunt only what you need�
• Traditional Male/Female Gender Roles
• male hunters/warriors; female care for children/home�
• Small extended family groups
• Everyone owned the land

Quick Write

In your notes, answer the following question:

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How are the Plains Indians and American cultures (of the 1800s) similar and different from one another?

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Do you think they could learn to get along?

Sand Creek Massacre/Battle of Sand Creek

Cheyenne traditionally moved from winter/summer camp sites

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Moved back to their winter camp in Eastern Colorado

• US troops stationed in Colorado because of Civil War
• settlers accuse Native Americans of stealing livestock
• past issues between settlers and Native Americans

Massacre or Battle?

US Troops led by Col. John Chivington attacked Sand Creek at dawn (11/29/1864)

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Most men were out hunting, ~200 inhabitants, mostly women and children were killed

Sioux vs. White Settlers

• 2nd Fort Laramie Treaty (1864) creates a forced reservation for Sioux
• Sioux intended to continue to hunt on their traditional hunting grounds

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“We have been taught to hunt and live on the game. You tell us that we must learn to farm, live in one house, and take on your ways”

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Gold Rush

• Miners believe there is gold in the Black Hills (Sioux Reservation)
• affirmed by General George Custer - “..gold from the grass roots down”)

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Custer’s Last Stand

• Sioux and Cheyenne hold a sun dance
• Chief Sitting Bull has vision of Natives falling off of their horses�
• Sioux and Cheyenne outflanked and attacked Custer’s troops - all US soldiers were killed

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Assimilate or fight?

the Dawes Act - goal: to ‘Americanize’ Native Americans

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• broke up reservations and gave land to individual Native Americans (160acres or 80acres)
• sell remaining land to settlers to raise money to purchase farming equipment for the Native Americans

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• In the end, 2/3 of the reservation land was sold to white settlers and no money went to the Native Americans

Reservation Land in the US from 1850-1990

Battle of Wounded Knee

• Belief that “Ghost Dance” would bring spirits of the fallen and bring peace to Cheyenne and Sioux nation
• Chief Sitting Bull was shot and killed by Native American police working for US gov’t

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...or Massacre?

December 28, 1890 - Custer’s old regime rounded up 350 Sioux and brought them to camp at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota

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Ordered to give up their guns/weapons

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300 unarmed Native Americans were killed