Native Americans Overview Notes

Culture on the Plains A Nomadic Life: For centuries the Great Plains were home to many native American nations. Some worked as farmers, but most were ________ following their main source of food-the buffalo. They lived in extended family networks and had close relationships with nature. Life in an Indian Nation: Were often divided into _______ of 500 people. A governing council made decisions. Gender determined jobs. Women reared children, cooked, and prepared hides. Men were hunters, traders, and military supervisors. Religion: Most native Americans believed in religion that based its spiritual power in that of the ______________________.

Times of Pressure Forceful Settlers: As ranchers and miners moved to the Plains, they took away Native American hunting grounds, broke treaties guaranteeing certain lands for them to keep, and forced them to relocate to new areas. Forms of Resistance: Natives resisted by attacking trains, wagons, and ranches. Soon major clashes/fights broke out. The Dakota Sioux Uprising: The _____________________had agreed, under pressure from the government, to move to a reservation in Minnesota in return for annuities, or payments for reservation dwellers, at least once a year. The money often ended up in the hands of the American traders. Congress also delayed their annuities-and put many of the Dakota on the verge of starvation. The Dakota began an official uprising. He wanted a war to fight the military, not civilians but the Dakota began massacring them anyway. US military sentenced over 300 Dakota to death. Lincoln decreased the number and many fled to Dakota territory.

The Lakota Sioux Defending Their Territory: After the Dakota uprising, troops were sent out throughout the Great Plains to prevent any more disorder. Stirred up even more hostility! Troops met the nomadic Lakota Sioux. The Lakota had fought hard to keep their hunting grounds. They did not intend to have settlers take their land. Chiefs were __________________, Crazy Horse and __________________.

SAND Creek Massacre Sand Creek, Colorado: In the 1860’s tensions rose between miners and the ______________________________people in Colorado. As more and more settlers showed up, natives began raiding wagons and stealing cattle. Settlers soon came to discover it was no longer safe to travel to Denver. Trade came to a standstill and about 200 settlers had been killed. The governor, John Evans, ordered the native Americans to surrender and if they failed to they would be subject to attack. Standing Their Ground: In Nov. 1864, ________________________brought several Cheyenne to the fort to negotiate peace, not surrender. An Unclear Event: Many are unsure about what exactly happened here. Some say the Cheyenne were flying a white flag that Chivington ignored. Some say troops fired on unsuspecting Natives. Others said both fought in the ferocious battle. Both sides suffered deaths. Most believe Chivington’s attack was a horrible crime.

Indian Peace Commission Dealing with the Conflicts: After the massacres, Congress decided they needed to do something to deal with the increased tensions on the Great Plains. Indian Peace Commission: In 1867, Congress formed an ___________________________________ which proposed creating two large ______________________ on the Plains, one for the Sioux and another for the South Plains Indians. Agents from the government’s Bureau of Indian Affairs would run the reservations. The army would control any unruly behavior on the reservations. The plans were doomed to start. Natives were pressured into signing treaties and those who didn’t move to the reservations faced poverty and violence. Frustrations Mount : By the 1870’s many Plains Indians had left the reservations. The ________________ were rapidly disappearing and they were fed up with hunters killing buffalo for sport.

Chief Joseph & Nez Perce Chief Joseph & the Nez Perce: Another small group led by Chief Joseph refused to go to the reservation. They fled when the army showed up to relocate them. Finally in 1877, Chief Joseph was forced to surrender and his people were exiled to Oklahoma. “Our chiefs are killed….the little children are freezing to death. My people…. Have no blankets, no food….. Hear me, my chiefs; I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.” -Chief Joseph

Tragedy at wounded knee The Ghost Dance Ritual: The Native American resistance came to a tragic end on the Sioux reservation in Against army orders, the Lakota continued to perform their ______________________, a ritual that celebrate a hoped- for day of reckoning when settlers would disappear and the buffalo would reappear. The government blamed this defiance on Sitting Bull. The government set out to ___________________and his supporters resisted. Sitting Bull died in an exchange of gunfire. At Wounded Knee Creek: As natives fled, the troops went after them. In Dec. 1890, gunfire broke out and a deadly battle ensued. 25 soldiers died and 200 Lakota men, women, and children.

Assimilation? Many Americans had long opposed the treatment of the Native Americans. Improving the Situation: Many felt things would improve if Native Americans could ______________________, or be absorbed, into American society. Also would cut up reservations. Dawes Act: Act allotted each head of household ______________________of reservation land for farming and individuals would get 80. Plan failed to achieve its goals. Many didn’t know how to farm and land allotment was too small to be profitable. Natives left with no real solution to survive or prosper. Few wanted to adopt American culture.