Montana Tribes and Reservations Grade 5 Review

Native American Montana Tribes Blackfeet Salish, Kootenai, Pend d’Oreille Chippewa/Cree Crow Northern Cheyenne Assiniboine Sioux Gros Ventre Little Shell

Montana Reservations

Blackfeet (located on Blackfeet Reservation) Buffalo hunting society Located: Montana, Idaho, Alberta, Canada Europeans Brought horses-valuable for hunting buffalo 1800’s infected tribe with smallpox Blackfeet language is spoken by half of the tribal members (difficult to learn)

Blackfeet Blackfeet women wore long deerskins dresses decorated with elk teeth and porcupine quills Blackfeet men were hunters and warriors Wore tunics and breechcloths Chiefs wore feather headdresses Men wore 3 braids in a topknot Painted faces for special occasions Used long bows, arrows, clubs and hide shields for hunting and war

Blackfeet Both men and women were storytellers, artists, musicians and medicine people Children hunted, fished, had special games and dolls

Blackfeet Children hunted, fished, had special games and dolls Blackfeet is the official name, given by the white man, many tribal refer to themselves as Blackfeet Tipi Was their home, made out of buffalo hide A tipi could be set up and taken down in an hour very easily Blackfeet homes(which belonged to the women)were disassembled and carried by them

Blackfeet Councils In the past consensus had to be reached (all chiefs had to agree) At present all council members are elected by tribal members

Salish, Kootenai, Pend d’Oreille (Located on Flathead Reservation) Met with Lewis and Clark in 1805 Treaty of Hellgate (1855) Had translation problems Only 1/10 was understood by either side Chief Victor marked X and agreed to move onto reservation land Chief Charlot (Victor’s son) Continued non-violent relations with whites His X was forged and tribe was moved to reservation

Salish, Kootenai, Pend d’Oreille (Located on Flathead Reservation) 1889 Signs agreement to relocate to Flathead Reservation 1891 Troops forcibly march tribe 60 miles

Chippewa/Cree (Located on Rocky Boy’s Reservation) Resisted being placed on a reservation Hunted buffalo Followed traditional ways Deported to Canada Placed onto rail cars Returned and lived outside of hi-line town In deplorable condition Sent to Rocky Boy’s Reservation tribes: Chippewa, Cree, Metis (Metis were considered lower-class; usually mother was Indian and father was white.)

Crow (Located on Crow Reservation) Became known as “people of the earthen lodges” Settled along Missouri River Semi-permanent lodges covered with earth 1800’s Smallpox epidemic Native name—Apsaalooke Reservation size reduced several times 1825—signed treaty of friendship 1851—tribal land size reduced by act of Congress 1905—land reduced again 1920—reduced reservation size again

Northern Cheyenne (located on Northern Cheyenne Reservation) Tribe speaks Cheyenne language Written history starts in 16 th century Participated in Rosebud Battle Battle of the Little Bighorn (1876) Annihilated General George Armstrong Custer Had previously had “ashes” ceremony with Custer This signified Custer would not wage war against them Custer continued war on tribe

Northern Cheyenne (located on Northern Cheyenne Reservation) Battle of Little Bighorn Started process for Cheyenne to be exiled to Oklahoma Chiefs Little Wolf and Dull Knife fought and brought band back from Oklahoma to Montana territory Chief Little Wolf and Dull Knife buried in Lame Deer Cemetery

Assiniboine and Sioux (Located on Fort Peck Reservation) Sioux Horses introduced in 1500’s by Spanish Made following buffalo easier Warriors Became chiefs if had strong warrior skills Chiefs were in charge of different aspects of life War, civil rules, medicine Took part in Battle of Little Bighorn Did Ghost Dance To bring back buffalo To be restored to their lands

Assiniboine and Sioux (Located on Fort Peck Reservation) Assiniboine Native name—Asinibwaan (Stone Sioux) Semi-nomadic Followed buffalo during warm months Camped during cold months Traded with Europeans Dog was used as pack animal until horse was introduced

Assiniboine and Sioux (Located on Fort Peck Reservation) Ceremonies Sweat Lodge Purification ceremony Water poured over hot rocks Vision Quest Could be done for self or others Fasting for purpose of receiving visions

Gros Ventre and Assiniboine (Located on Fort Belknap Reservation) Gros Ventre Earliest contact with whites in Signed treaty with Governor of Washington Territory Treated as part of Blackfeet tribe Gave common hunting grounds for all tribes that signed the treaty 1868 Fort Browning built for Gros Ventre Built on Sioux hunting grounds Built on Milk River Abandoned in 1871

Gros Ventre and Assiniboine (Located on Fort Belknap Reservation) 1876 Gros Ventre requested to go to Fort Peck Reservation Wouldn’t go because Sioux were there Couldn’t “ride together in peace” with Sioux 1878 Fort Peck Reservation reassigned Gros Ventre and Assiniboine tribes only

Little Shell (“landless Indians”) 17 th century Fur traders 1846 Located in Manitoba ,000,000 acre reservation Signed by Chief Little Shell

Little Shell (“landless Indians”) 1892 Ten Cent Treaty Indians offered 10 cents Tribe refused to sign Lost tribal land and rights as tribe Recognized as a tribe by state of Montana