Conflict on the Great Plains

• Indian Wars overview– Lead up• In 1834, the federal government declared that all of the

Great Plains would be a reservation set aside for Native Americans• Starting in the 1850’s, the government changed its mind

– Railroads allowed easier settlement of the Plains– Smaller territories were assigned to each tribe, with the rest of the

land being set aside for settlers

– Indian Wars• Many tribes ignored the new borders, leading to conflict

between natives and settlers in which the military took the side of the settlers• The army forced native tribes into increasingly small

reservations, and some tribes fought back

Conflicts• Use the textbook, starting on page 410, to read

and take notes about each of the following conflicts:1. Sand Creek2. Fetterman Massacre3. Little Bighorn4. Red River War5. Wounded Knee

• End of the Indian Wars– Native tribes that fought were defeated, in part

because the tribes largely fought separately– The virtual extinction of the Buffalo eliminated the

main food source for the native tribes– All tribes were herded into reservations– The government implemented assimilation

programs, attempting to “Americanize” native tribes