Period 3 & 7 We will examine the role the buffalo and horse played in the lives of Indians on the Great Plains. Early Sports Clips Chapter 26 Notes Buffalo Hunt Buffalo Meat

Chapter 26 Notes The Sioux Indians became a dominant force on the Great Plains. The Pawnee, Crow, Kiowa, Cheyenne, and Sioux had become excellent riders since Spain brought the horse to North America. Sioux used the horse to help with hunting Buffalo

Treaties The US Government signed treaty after treaty with Plains Indians. Promised not to bother them on their land. Each new treaty pushed them onto smaller and smaller tracts of land.

After the Civil War when the trans-continental railroad was completed and more settlers moved out onto the Great Plains fighting with Indians increased. Several battles/ massacres resulted Sand Creek – US soldiers attacked a village of peaceful Indians Bozeman Trail – Sioux attacked and wiped out group of soldiers Little Big Horn – Sioux wiped out all of George Custer’s men

How were Indians Subdued? 1.The completion of the railroad 2.Disease 3.The killing off of the buffalo 4.War 5.Loss of land to treaties

Wounded Knee Sioux believed doing the Ghost Dance would protect them from bullets and return the buffalo Soldiers fire on crowd of Sioux, killing many women and children Battle/Massacre of Wounded Knee marks the end of Native American wars

Dawes Act Attempt to assimilate Native Americans US divided up reservation land to make Indians farmers Carlisle school was established to teach Native American children English Any reservation land not divided up among Indians was sold to railroads

Chapter 26 continued Safety Valve Theory If the population got to large on the East Coast due to immigration, move west. Solve the problem of unemployment because one could always move west Homestead Act gave away 160 acres of land. Land was usually dry and not great for farming

Deflation Due to dry conditions farmers in west grew single crop (wheat or corn) Deflation (decrease in price) hurt farmers, many lost farms Farmers were also at mercy of railroads. Railroads overcharged farmers to take their goods to market.

Organizing Farmers The Grange attempted to organize, educate, and help farmers The Farmers Alliance attempted to collectivize their buying and selling to gain upper hand over railroad Alliance leads to Populist Party Wanted government control of railroads, telephone, and telegraph Establish a graduated income tax Free unlimited coinage of silver

Pullman Strike The American Railway Union is organized 1894 Pullman’s Palace Car Company cut wages Workers went on strike and the US Army was called to break up strike

Election of 1896 William McKinley believed in the gold standard (money backed by gold) and trickle down theory (workers do better when business makes money) William Jennings Bryan believed in unlimited coinage of silver. Gained support of Populist Party