Indian Wars: 1860-1890

1850: • approximately 250,000 Indians lived on the great plains• 25,000 whites lived west of Mississippi River• 60,000,000 bison

Reasons for westward expansion:

-Manifest Destiny-Gold/resources-Homestead Act-Railroads-Overcrowding in East-Problems in Europe

Expansion led to conflict with people who were already there

Originally much more lenient to plains Indians

Generally agreed to share land

Some reservations, but usually good land

Later changed to forced movement

ExterminationAssimilation

• Take away the food

source from the Native American and they will be

forced to submit and go to the

reservations.

• Take away the food

source from the Native American and they will be

forced to submit and go to the

reservations.

Dakota Sioux War of 1862• As of 1851, Santee Sioux in Minnesota had agreed to live on Reservation near Minnesota river• Relations were generally good• 1862, crops were destroyed by insects and government annuities Never came- with winter approaching, Sioux were going to starve• August, 1862, Chief Little Crow led his warriors on a rampage- Killing all whites in the area (400 the first day)• 800 killed total and 30,000 whites left Minnesota• September, 1862- Army reinforcements arrive and put down the Rebellion• First real outbreak of violence on plains between whites and Indian

Dakota Sioux War of 1862

Siege of New Ulm

Sand Creek- 1864• 1863: Cheyenne in Colorado begin raiding settlements after Government supplies failed to arrive• Citizens of Colorado fear for their safety and Governor creates a militia to find these raiding parties• John Chivington is selected as leader•November, 1864: Chivington attacks Black Kettle’s Cheyenne Village on Sand Creek reservation and kills nearly everyone in it•Horrific atrocities are committed but Cheyenne are now contained (for the moment)

Colonel John ChivingtonColonel John Chivington

“Kill and scalp all, big and little!”

Sand Creek, CO Massacre

November 29, 1864

Red Cloud’s War- 1866• Gold is discovered in Montana in 1863 and miners began moving into the area• Passed through Sioux country to get there and Sioux began to attack them•Military brought in to defeat the Lakota, led by Red Cloud and his warriors (one of whom was Crazy Horse)• Fetterman massacre• After two years of fighting, U.S. conceded victory to the Sioux- noteworthy for 2 reasons:• Only WAR ever won by Indians against U.S.• Sioux were guaranteed all of Western S.D. in treaty, including Black Hills; also free to roam in unpopulated areas

Gold!Gold! Gold discovered in the Black

Hills in 1874. Govt. tries to purchase the

land, but the Sioux refuse. Gold fever and miners refuse

to respect Sioux land….. Conflict erupts!

Gold discovered in the Black Hills in 1874.

Govt. tries to purchase the land, but the Sioux refuse.

Gold fever and miners refuse to respect Sioux land…..

Conflict erupts!

Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse Sitting Bull (Hunkpapa

Sioux) and Crazy Horse (Ogalala Sioux) were two chiefs who refused to sign the treaty.

All Indians ordered back onto reservation

"One does not sell the earth upon which the people walk" Crazy Horse

Sitting Bull (Hunkpapa Sioux) and Crazy Horse (Ogalala Sioux) were two chiefs who refused to sign the treaty.

All Indians ordered back onto reservation

"One does not sell the earth upon which the people walk" Crazy Horse

Little Big Horn River, Montana - 1876 George Armstrong

Custer was sent to force the Sioux, Cheyenne and

Arapaho back to their reservations (part of a larger

force). He was in

command of the 7th Calvary.

June 26, 1876

George Armstrong Custer was sent to

force the Sioux, Cheyenne and

Arapaho back to their reservations (part of a larger

force). He was in

command of the 7th Calvary.

June 26, 1876

The Battle of Little Big Horn 1876

The Battle of Little Big Horn 1876

He was heavily outnumbered and trapped.Custer & all 220 of his men died.“Custer’s Last Stand” outraged Americans and led to govt.

retribution.The Sioux and Cheyenne were crushed in the following

years.Best and worst thing for N.A.

He was heavily outnumbered and trapped.Custer & all 220 of his men died.“Custer’s Last Stand” outraged Americans and led to govt.

retribution.The Sioux and Cheyenne were crushed in the following

years.Best and worst thing for N.A.

Painting-Little Bighorn

Memorial-Little Bighorn

Chief Joseph I will fight no more forever!

Chief Joseph I will fight no more forever!

1877- led 800 Nez Perce over 1700 miles in 3 months trying to escape to Canada; chased by 2000 soldiers; caught 40 miles from border

Geronimo, Apache Chief: Hopeless Cause

Geronimo, Apache Chief: Hopeless Cause

1880’s- led series of raids against settlers in Southwest

Fought for years before being captured

Chiracahua Apache- his surrender in 1886 marked the end of Indian resistance in Southwest

Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889 This opened the Indian

Territory to the settlers. What used to be Indian

Territory out west was opened to Americans once Indians are finally on the

reservation. State of Oklahoma would

be formed.

This opened the Indian Territory to the settlers.

What used to be Indian Territory out west was

opened to Americans once Indians are finally on the

reservation. State of Oklahoma would

be formed.

Dawes Act of 1887Quicker Americanization

Assimilate, mainstreamed and absorbed into US societyAdopt Christianity and White education Individual land ownership

Abandon tribe, culture and become farmers Male claimed 160 acres of landChildren would be sent to Indian schoolsFarm land for 25 years- then they owned it. 1924 gain citizenship and right to voteFailed policy

Indian resistance and corruption

The Ghost Dance Movement -1890The Ghost Dance Movement -1890 Paiute medicine man Wovoka promised the return of the buffalo

and Indian way of life.

The religion prophesied the end of the westward expansion of whites

and a return of Indian land.

The ritual lasted five successive days, being danced each night and

on the last night continued until morning.

Hypnotic trances and shaking accompanied this ceremony, which was supposed to be repeated every

six weeks.

Paiute medicine man Wovoka promised the return of the buffalo

and Indian way of life.

The religion prophesied the end of the westward expansion of whites

and a return of Indian land.

The ritual lasted five successive days, being danced each night and

on the last night continued until morning.

Hypnotic trances and shaking accompanied this ceremony, which was supposed to be repeated every

six weeks.

The Ghost Dance Movement -1890The Ghost Dance Movement -1890 Ghost Dance movement

spread to the Sioux They religiously danced even

after they were told to stop by reservation authorities. Military went to arrest Sitting Bull, where he was

killed. Many Sioux followers left the

reservation and joined Bigfoot’s group, who were

now on the run

Ghost Dance movement spread to the Sioux

They religiously danced even after they were told to stop by reservation authorities. Military went to arrest Sitting Bull, where he was

killed. Many Sioux followers left the

reservation and joined Bigfoot’s group, who were

now on the run

Ghost Dance 4

Telegram to Washington, D.C. Nov. 15, 1890

"Indians are dancing in the snow and are wild and crazy. I have fully informed you that the employees and the government

property at this agency have no protection and are at the mercy of the Ghost Dancers.

... We need protection and we need it now ...nothing [short] of 1000 troops will

stop this dancing."

Dr. Daniel F. Royer, Agent,Pine Ridge Agency

Telegram to Washington, D.C. Nov. 15, 1890

"Indians are dancing in the snow and are wild and crazy. I have fully informed you that the employees and the government

property at this agency have no protection and are at the mercy of the Ghost Dancers.

... We need protection and we need it now ...nothing [short] of 1000 troops will

stop this dancing."

Dr. Daniel F. Royer, Agent,Pine Ridge Agency

Ghost Shirt

Indian warriors fighting against the US wore Ghost Shirts which were to stop the penetration of American soldiers bullets……It gave them supernatural powers as was believed………Ghost Shirt

Battle of Wounded Knee – Dec.1890

7th Calvary caught Bigfoot’s people near Wounded Knee, SD They attempted to confiscate all weapons when a shot was fired.

7th Calvary caught Bigfoot’s people near Wounded Knee, SD They attempted to confiscate all weapons when a shot was fired.

Battle of Wounded Knee – Dec.1890

Violence erupted, 300 Indians and 25 whites

lay dead. This is the last of the

Indian conflicts.

Violence erupted, 300 Indians and 25 whites

lay dead. This is the last of the

Indian conflicts.

Chief Big Foot

• The dead of Big Foot's people were buried in a

mass grave. The still frozen stiff bodies were

dumped unceremoniously into

the hole.

• The United States handed out over twenty Congressional Medals of Honor to soldiers of

the Seventh Cavalry who had participated in

the battle.

• The dead of Big Foot's people were buried in a

mass grave. The still frozen stiff bodies were

dumped unceremoniously into

the hole.

• The United States handed out over twenty Congressional Medals of Honor to soldiers of

the Seventh Cavalry who had participated in

the battle.

Battle of Wounded Knee – Dec.1890

Helen Hunt Jackson (1830-1885), activist for Native American rights and author of Century of Dishonor

was published in 1881. Jackson also began work on a book

condemning the government’s Indian policy and its record of

broken treaties. When Jackson sent a copy to every

member of Congress with the following admonition printed in red

on the cover: "Look upon your hands: they are stained with the blood

of your relations."  To her disappointment, the book had little

impact.