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Native Americans in t he West

Native Americans in t he West. Native Americans. Living in what was known as the “Great American Desert”…not really a desert at all Were promised that land would be theirs forever…not really Most numerous were the Plains Indians Nomadic, followed the buffalo

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Native Americans in t he West

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  1. Native Americans in the West

  2. Native Americans • Living in what was known as the “Great American Desert”…not really a desert at all • Were promised that land would be theirs forever…not really • Most numerous were the Plains Indians • Nomadic, followed the buffalo • Did not think of land as property…different from American concept of land

  3. Threats to Indian Life • Disease • Gold was discovered in California • Railroad was being built that needed to go through Indian Territory • This need led to the government setting up reservations that would put Indians on smaller specific areas…but many are nomadic

  4. Buffalo • Migrants killed off thousands • Hunters invaded, trading fur in the East • Some killed for sport leaving the carcasses to rot • Indians see their way of life rotting • RR companies hired sharpshooters to kill those obstructing traffic (Buffalo Riders) • Encouraged by US army…would keep the Indians from being nomadic

  5. Sand Creek Massacre • Indians had been attacking settlers to keep a hold on their lands…raised the distrust among settlers • Unarmed Cheyenne and Arapaho are attacked by Colorado militia for no reason • Killed men, women and children • Indians tried to signal that they were of no threat • Created even more Indian resistance and military occupation

  6. Sand Creek Massacre

  7. Battle of Little Big Horn • Gold miners encroach on Sioux territory • Sioux send out their troops and so does the US Army under Colonel Custer • 250 soldiers vs. 2,000 Indians • Indians charged killing Custer and all of his men

  8. Nez Perce • Living on reservations and doing well but land was needed for white settlers • Chief Joseph tried to escape US troops by heading into Canada • Troops caught up with them and Chief Joseph surrendered • “I will fight no more forever” • Were sent to a unfertile lands in Oklahoma

  9. Wounded Knee • With so many threats to their way of life Indians start to practice the Ghost Dance, thought that it would • Banish white settlers • Bring back the buffalo • Frightened the government…they order the arrest of Sitting Bull who was leading the Ghost Dance • When the troops come to arrest Sitting Bull, they disarm the Indians…fire is shot?…troops react by killing over 300 Sioux • Buried in a mass grave • 18 Congressional Medals of Honor awarded to the troops

  10. Blizzard hits and the bodies are left there to freeze

  11. Assimilation • Reservation life was not working so government suggested assimilation (adopting the culture and civilization of whites) • Helen Hunt Jackson criticized the government’s treatment of Indians in her book A Century of Dishonor • Talked of broken treaties and the plight of Indians

  12. Dawes Severalty Act • Replaced the reservation system with an allotment system • Each Indian family was given 160 acres • Not enough for farming in the West, only in the East • Land could not be sold for 25 years • Attempt to assimilate Indians by giving them land but they don’t even know how to farm

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