Native American Discrimination History

Early Contact in North American Colonies Colonial economy tied to the FUR TRADE Competition for the Ohio Valley land

Bacon’s Rebellion Low tobacco prices Farmers want more land Move onto Native lands and pick fights Bacon makes war when Gov. does not Ignored rights of treaty cause “Indians”

1. Indian Removal Act CAUSES Andrew Jackson sponsored Act US wants land for its citizens Forces Cherokee Nation out of GA into OK RESULTS Cherokee won case in USCC, BUT… Forced March – “Trail of Tears” –Over 4,000 die

2. Westward Expansion CAUSES Railroad open up West Gold Rush White settlers want more land as country expands RESULTS Push Natives out of the plains States (KA, SD, NE, MT) Native Way of life being destroyed (buffalo)

Plains Natives vs. US Army Saga Treaty of Ft. Laramie (1851) – Gov’t promises natives control of Plains land Gov’t breaks promise after Gold Rush

3. Sand Creek Massacre CAUSES Colorado, 1864 – Year of clashes with US military - want land for gold digging Cheyenne Tribe finally going to surrender RESULTS Cheyenne Camp ambushed by Army while men gone hunting 200 women & children killed

4. Little Bighorn, MT CAUSES Army campaigns against Sioux Tribe resistance to move Chief Sitting Bull resists Gov’t order to move to reservations Army Gen. George Custer attacks Sioux force

RESU LTS = Custer’s Last Stand Custer badly outnumbered (not count right) “Crazy Horse” leads Sioux attack 200 Army men killed in battle including Custer Sioux Victory short lived – US wants revenge

5. Wounded Knee, SD CAUSES Sioux Chief Sitting Bull killed in SD by Army Ignites Sioux resistance movements Army surrounds Sioux camp at W.K. & orders them give up their rifles

Wounded Knee Massacre RESULTS Sioux refuse to give up rifles Army attacks when a shot is fired 300 Sioux massacred by Army Massacre ends Sioux resistance in USA – surrender & move to reservations

Assimilation Cultural absorption of Natives into USA society “Indian Schools” – punish children for practicing their culture – teach to be white US Gov’t passes Acts (Dawes Act) restricting Native allotment of land

Lord Jeffrey Amherst, commander of British forces in North America during the French and Indian War (1756-'63). According to historian Francis Parkman, Amherst first raised the possibility of giving the Indians infected blankets in a letter to Colonel Henry Bouquet, who would lead reinforcements to Fort Pitt. No copy of this letter has come to light, but we do know that Bouquet discussed the matter in a postscript to a letter to Amherst on July 13, 1763: P.S. I will try to inocculate the Indians by means of Blankets that may fall in their hands, taking care however not to get the disease myself.

Smallpox Champion, US of A Give Natives the Blankets Warm like the Grave …You saw what you wanted, You took what you saw We know how you got it Your method equals wipeout. -Fugazi