Lewis and Clark: The Significance of the Sioux Indians By Danielle Poindexter

Thomas Jefferson Made the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 Selected Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the new territory Wanted to make peaceful trade relationships with Native Americans… Specifically the Sioux tribes

Goals of the Expedition Most commonly known: to find a water route to the pacific To draw maps of the new territory To find new species To make known the new proprietors of the Louisiana territory To make contact with the Indians and establish trade relationships To make a knowledgeable contribution to commerce and the United States government

Why the Sioux? Prime focus of the mission Military strength Influence on trade Economic potential

The Journey Begins… May 21, 1804 Meriwether Lewis and William Clark Encounters: over three hundred new species of plants and animals grizzlies the Rocky Mountains almost fifty Indian tribes

The Largest Impact The Native Americans, by far, had the most significant impact on the expedition. Specifically, the Sioux tribes

The Yankton Sioux Described as stout and bold looking Peaceful Encountered August of 1804 Both pictures available from: http://www.lewisandclarktrail.com/sponsors/yanktonsioux/sect2.htm

The Yankton Sioux (cont.) Welcoming and hospitable to the explorers Eager to preserve nation and begin a trade relationship with the U.S. Warned the Lewis and Clark about their neighbors farther up the Missouri River, the Teton Sioux

The Teton Sioux Arrived in Teton territory September, 1804 Teton Sioux were notorious for being very aggressive and territorial Charged tolls for merchants travelling through their territory Did not want a relationship with the United States Already well supplied and dominated trade on the Missouri River

The Teton Sioux (cont.) Did not wish to be ruled by the United States Felt threatened and angered by the explorers who now claimed their land James Ayers, “The History Behind Encounter with the Teton Sioux,” James Ayers, 2013; available from http://jamesayers.com/2010/10/16/the-history-behind-encounter-with-the-teton-sioux/; Internet; accessed 23 November 2013

Confrontation with the Teton Sioux The first- began in September 1804 Met the Brule band of Teton Indians, led by chief Black Buffalo Greeted with hostility Lack of an interpreter led to more misunderstandings

Chief Black Buffalo Led the Brule band of Teton Sioux Wise, reasonable, and cool-headed leader Without his intervention, his people would have slaughtered the explorers He knew Lewis and Clark had powerful friends and should be dealt with carefully

The Second Teton Confrontation As Lewis and Clark were headed home On August 30, 1806, as the group of explorers was approaching present-day Yankton, South Dakota Once more confronted Black Buffalo’s band of Brule Tetons Taunts and threats were made, but no one was harmed

In Conclusion… Lewis and Clark returned home on September 23, 1806 Following the confrontations on the expedition, there were years of battles between the Sioux and the United States. The name of the river the two parties met on is called the ‘Bad River,’ in remembrance of the “bad humor” between them

In the end, the expedition reported home with valuable knowledge of the Louisiana territory and its inhabitants… But Lewis and Clark’s mission to make peaceable trade relationships with the Sioux was unsuccessful.

A Map of the Expedition Route Lewis and Clark Expedition Routes and Control of Lands. Digital image. National Geographic. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. <http://education.nationalgeographic.com/archive/xpeditions/activities/01/lewis_map_4.html?ar_a=1>.

Bibliography “Heading into Danger?” National Geographic, 1996; available from http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/read/?_xmlsrc=lc.ronda.01.xml#ch2; Internet; accessed 23 November 2013 James Ayers, “The History Behind Encounter with the Teton Sioux,” James Ayers, 2013; available from http://jamesayers.com/2010/10/16/the-history-behind-encounter-with-the-teton-sioux/; Internet; accessed 23 November 2013 James P. Ronda, “Lewis & Clark among the Indians,” University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln and London, 1984; available from http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/read/?_xmlsrc=lc.ronda.01.xml#ch2; Internet; accessed 23 November 2013 “Standoff with the Teton Sioux” National Geographic, 1996; available from http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/journey_leg_3.html; Internet; accessed 23 November 2013 “The Native Americans,” PBS; available from http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/native/; Internet; accessed 23 November 2013 “The Teton Sioux,” The Louisiana Expansion; available from http://www.umsl.edu/continuinged/louisiana/Am_Indians/7-Teton_Lakota/7-teton_lakota.html; Internet; accessed 23 November 2013