Treaties
Why did settlers ignore treaties between the US government and American Indian Tribes?
Because of the lure of gold and land, settlers disregarded treaty boundaries, and the government often failed to enforce them.
Who was Geronimo?
He was a Chiricahua Apache, who fought against US and Mexican efforts to wipe out and imprison American Indians on reservations.
What happened at the Sandy Creek Massacre?
The Cheyenne, under Chief Black Kettle, approached Fort Lyon to work out a treaty with US officials in Colorado after the US broke the First Treaty of Ft. Laramie. The US Army surrounded the Cheyenne and murdered about 270 people, including women and children.
What was the impact of the Sand Creek Massacre?
It killed around 300 Cheyenne and Arapaho, mostly women and children, inflaming tensions and leading to wider conflicts.
What are the impact of the reservations on American Indians today?
Long-lasting economic hardship, loss of culture, and systemic inequality persist in many Native communities.
What did the Indian Peace Commission propose as a way to end settler/native violence?
It recommended that Native Americans be moved to reservations to end conflict and promote assimilation into American society.
Who was George Armstrong Custer?
A Civil War hero turned Indian fighter, he led a disastrous expedition into the Black Hills and died at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
What was the Fetterman Massacre?
An ambush by Red Cloud’s forces that killed all 80 U.S. soldiers involved, escalating the conflict in the Powder River region.
How did the U.S. Government view American Indian culture?
As inferior and in need of “civilizing” through forced assimilation and reservation life.
What were the effects of the reservations?
They restricted Native freedom, disrupted traditional culture, and created conditions of poverty and dependency.
What were the terms agreed upon in the 1868 Treaty?
The U.S. agreed to abandon forts along the Bozeman Trail, and in return, the Sioux received a reservation in the Black Hills region, though access to adjacent land was left vague.
Who was Crazy Horse?
A Lakota war leader who resisted reservation life, led forces at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and was killed after surrendering to U.S. forces.
What triggered the Dakota Sioux Uprisings?
Broken treaties, delayed payments, and starvation among the Dakota Sioux sparked a violent uprising in 1862.
What was the purpose of U.S. assimilation efforts?
To erase Native culture and integrate Native Americans into American society through boarding schools, Christianity, and land policies.
What happened to the Nez Perce?
They attempted to flee to Canada under Chief Joseph but were captured; most were sent to reservations far from their homeland.
What did the First Treaty of Fort Laramie establish?
It was intended to bring peace between settlers and Plains tribes by defining tribal territories, but it was soon undermined by westward expansion and gold rushes.
Who was Red Cloud?
An Oglala Sioux chief who led Red Cloud's War, won a major victory over the U.S. Army, but later advocated for peace and reservation life.
What happened at the Battle of Little Bighorn? (Also known as the Battle of Greasy Grass)
Custer's forces were overwhelmed and killed by a large coalition of Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors in a major Native American victory.
How did the buffalo's near extinction affect American Indians?
It devastated Plains tribes' way of life, cutting off their primary food and material source and forcing them onto reservations.
How did the Indian Wars end?
Through military defeat and starvation tactics by the U.S., forcing tribes to surrender and relocate to reservations.
What was the significance of the 2nd Treaty of Fort Laramie?
It created the Great Sioux Reservation and marked a temporary victory for Native Americans, but ultimately failed as settlers and miners violated the agreement.
Who was Sitting Bull?
A spiritual leader and war chief of the Hunkpapa Sioux, he opposed selling land, had a vision of victory before Little Bighorn, and was later imprisoned and killed by U.S. authorities.
What led to the Wounded Knee Massacre?
Fear and misunderstanding of the Ghost Dance movement led U.S. troops to open fire on Sioux, killing hundreds.
What was the Ghost Dance?
A spiritual movement among Native Americans promising a return of the buffalo and removal of whites; seen as a threat by U.S. authorities.
What was the Dawes Act?
An 1887 law that divided tribal land into individual plots to encourage assimilation; it led to massive loss of Native land ownership.