Cultures Clash on the Plains Westward Movement Cultures Clash on the Plains

Cultures of the Plains Great Plains: Grassland of the central United States extending West to the Rocky Mountains Home to the Plains Indians – nomadic, buffalo hunting Native Americans who rely on horses 1

The Great Plains

Plains Indian Tribes – Mid 19th Century (2)

Cultures of the Plains Belief in communal land ownership Group decision making Warlike, hunting culture Spiritual connection to the land Buffalo of vital importance

American Interest in the West Mid 1800’s, American settlers begin moving West into Indian lands See traditional Indian lands as “wasted,” undeveloped, un-owned Seek to establish ranches, mining claims, and homesteads Government had given Great Plains to Indians in 1834, now sign new treaties to divide land further

American Interests in the West Events Bring Settlers and Indians into Contact: 1849 California Gold Rush 1858 Gold Strike in Colorado 1862 Homestead Act Transcontinental Railroad - brings more and more Americans west Completed by Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads (built by Chinese and Irish immigrants) Promontory Point Utah, 1869. Railroad is completed Leads to destruction of the buffalo

Indian Resistance Treaties are broken on both sides Violence between Whites and Indians becomes more pronounced Massacre of Cheyenne at Sand Creek, CO, 1864 Fetterman’s Massacre of 1866 - Sioux and Cheyenne warriors under Red Cloud and Crazy Horse annihilate 81 US Soldiers Results in closing of Bozeman Trail, which ran through land the Indians regarded as sacred

The Indian Wars Indians being forced onto reservations - Fort Laramie Treaty Some fiercely resist – US Army sent to end resistance At Little Bighorn*, Montana Territory, Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull and others lead gathered tribes to victory over Custer’s 7th Cavalry Custer’s entire command is killed 1

Defeat and Assimilation Little Bighorn brings outrage – Americans determined to defeat “rogue” tribes Sioux defeated by end of ‘76, sent to Reservation Nez Perce Indians under Chief Joseph pursued over 1000 miles before surrendering “I will fight no more forever.”

Defeat and Assimilation Helen Hunt Jackson – Century of Dishonor Influential book about American mistreatment of Indians Many favor ASSIMILATION – plan where Native Americans give up traditional way of life and adopt white culture Dawes Act of 1887 – Breaks up communal reservation lands in 160 acre plots – idea is to make Indians more like white farmers

End of Resistance Last “Gasp”  GHOST DANCE MOVEMENT Destruction of Buffalo 1800 – 65 Million Buffalo Sioux Spiritual movement, scared whites on reservations 1890 – Less than 1000 Dance is banned, Sitting Bull is killed in skirmish Massacre of Indians at Wounded Knee is last “battle” of Indian Wars - 1890