Chapter 7 The Indian Wars

Indian Conflicts Between 1782-1890, known as the Indian Wars Period Geronimo, 1858, led a band of warriors on raids against the Mexicans

On the Plains Sioux Indians, led by Sitting Bull, given reservation till the end of time in southwest South Dakota and recognized land near Black Hills as sacred hunting grounds Gold found in Black Hills, brought settlers

June 17, 1876, Sioux warriors surprised military and defeated them – Battle of the Rosebud

Little Bighorn Aka Custer’s Last Stand June 25, 1876, Colonel George Custer fought a group of Sioux and Cheyenne warriors, none of Custer’s 200 men survived

Nez Perce War Nez Perce warriors, led by Chief Joseph attacked and killed white ranchers September 30, 1877, Chief Joseph surrendered and he and his people were sent to Fort Leavenworth and not allowed to go back to their land “I will fight no more forever.”

Chapter 8 A Last Stand

A New Hope? Indians lost homelands their families had lived on and where they were buried Reservations were barren and inhospitable Treaties promised subsistence rations, but Indians were faced with famine and death

Paiute leader in Great Basin, Wovoka, claimed to have vision of a dance that would bring Indians together – Ghost Dance Must live quietly and honestly without violence, and the Indians would be able to return to old ways

New Religion Military was nervous about the new Ghost Dance religion November 1890, the Ghost Dance was banned in Dakota territory Sitting Bull wrongly accused of being the leader of this “rebellion” and was accidentally killed while being arrested

Wounded Knee Chief Big Foot was told to lead his people to Wounded Knee Creek where his people would be disarmed and taken to a reservation December 29, 1890, Big Foot and his people were attacked and killed by military

The Battle of Wounded Knee stopped the Ghost Dance religion and, for the most part, ended the Indian Wars