What is this?

How did the USA destroy the Indian Way of Life? 2 main factors Destruction of the Buffalo The Reservation System

Lesson Objectives To identify the ways in which the Native American way of life was destroyed by the US Government To evaluate the significance of the destruction of the buffalo

How did the Hunters methods differ to the Indians?

Map showing Buffalo decline

How did the Settlers hunt the Buffalo? White Hunters Powerful rifles with a very long range Shoot individual buffalos one at a time “Stand” Extremely efficient method of hunting End of 1875 Southern Herd was destroyed Northern Plains 1882 an estimated 5000 hunters and skinners at work 1883, Northern Herd destroyed.

Destruction of the Buffalo herds Between 1840 – 1885 the buffalo were hunted almost to extinction Numbers fell from 13million in 1840 to 200 in 1885 As more people moved to the Great Plains killing of the buffalo increased Parts of the buffalo’s habitat were destroyed New diseases were introduced.

Hunting for sport To begin with the buffalo were hunted for food and for sport. Special excursion trains were run so people could go out and shoot buffalo for sport Railroad builders needed feeding, buffalo hunters were employed to keep workers supplied with fresh meat.

‘Buffalo Bill’ William Cody ‘Buffalo Bill’ Employed by Kansas Pacific Railroad company to clear buffalo from the line and supply workers with fresh meat daily $500 a month. Over 17 months killed 4280 buffalo

Why were so many buffalo killed so quickly? Hunting for hides 1) 1871 New technology meant they could make high quality leather from buffalo hides = increase in price 2) By 1871 Railroads had reached the Great Plains, made transport easier. Industry in Dodge City and Fort Worth – Buffalo hunters flooded on the Southern Plains

‘Bone Pickers’

Bone Pickers Hunters only interested in Hides – rest of Buffalo left to rot. Later remains were collected and sent East, collectors were paid by the pound Homesteaders and Professional ‘Bone Pickers’collected skeletons Sent back East – 32 million pounds of bones sent in just over 3 years Made into fertiliser, buttons, combs and knife handles. Hooves made into glue.

What was the response of the Plains Indians? Killing of Buffalo was one of the causes of warfare on the Plains. 1874, 700 Arapahos, Cheyennes, Comanches and Kiowas attacked buffalo hunters near Adobe Walls Repeated attacks against settlements, but no match for defending hunters with powerful buffalo guns

Was the destruction of the Buffalo a deliberate Government policy? When buffalo herds had been destroyed Indians had no source of food or shelter Therefore they were forced to move onto the reservations