Which two Native American nations lived as farmers and hunters? a. Arapaho and Apache c. Sioux and Comanche b. Omaha and Osage d. Cheyenne and Apache Using machine guns, United States soldiers killed more than 300 starving Lakota men, women, and children at a. Sand Creek. c. Wounded Knee. b. San Carlos. d. Ghost Dance.

Native American Struggles

Great Plains For Native Americans

Some like Osage Omaha and Farmers Hunters were

MOST NOMADIC Had no permanent place to call home; wandered from place to place, traveling long distances following the buffalo.

Threats to the Buffalo Railroad companies hired people to kill buffalo to feed to the RR workers. Didn’t want big herds of them blocking the tracks.

Indian Peace Commission As more whites settled the Plains, the government adopted a new Indian policy. Indian Peace Commission Federal government recommended: Moving Native Americans to RESERVATIONS. Tracts of land set aside for them.

Government failed to deliver promised food and supplies. Reservations Oklahoma Poor land Government failed to deliver promised food and supplies. When they did, it was poor quality.

MINNESOTA TERRITORY uprising: CONFLICT MINNESOTA TERRITORY uprising: 1862- Sioux warriors led by Red Cloud- burned and looted white settlers homes. (Hundreds died.)

Army sent patrols who came in contact with the Lakota Tribe hunting grounds in the Black Hills region. Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapahos staged a series of attacks from 1865 to 1867. The bloodiest incident occurred on December 21, 1866. Sioux military leader, Crazy Horse, acted as a decoy and lead troops into a deadly trap, tricking a commander into sending 80 soldiers in pursuit. Hundreds of warriors attacked, killing them all. FETTERMAN MASSACRE In Colorado, where their were many miners, Cheyenne and Arapaho began raiding wagons, burning ranches and stealing cattle. Estimated 200 settlers killed.

Need for PEACE! Chivington Massacre 1868 Peace Treaty – Chief Black Kettle brought several hundred Cheyenne to negotiate a peace deal- camping at Sand Creek. Col. John Chivington led an attack on the unsuspecting Cheyenne. Chivington Massacre 1868 Peace Treaty – Tensions remained and fighting erupted within the next few years.

Black Hills Region CONFLICT Government Promise Then . . . GOLD! “No white person or persons shall be permitted to settle upon or occupy” or even “to pass through” these hills. GOLD! Then . . . Lt. Colonel George Custer led a group into the Black Hills Region to confirm that there was gold.

Leader of Lakota Sioux Sitting Bull refused. Government offered to buy the land. SIOUX PROTESTED Leader of Lakota Sioux Sitting Bull refused. “I do not want to sell any land. Not even this much.” (Holding a pinch of dust.)

Joined by Sioux Chief Crazy Horse. Sitting Bull gathered Sioux and Cheyenne warriors along the Little Bighorn River (Present-day Montana) Joined by Sioux Chief Crazy Horse. “If we must die, we die defending our rights.” -Sitting Bull “Hoka Hey, It’s a good day to die!” –Crazy Horse

SERIOUSLY UNDERESTIMATED THEIR STRENGTH. Army ordered to round up warriors and move them to reservations. Led by Lt. Colonel George Custer. . . .Wanted the glory of leading a major victory. Attacked Native Americans June 25, 1876. SERIOUSLY UNDERESTIMATED THEIR STRENGTH.

Custer’s entire command- 250 soldiers – lost their lives at the Battle of Little Bighorn.

The Native American victory at Little Bighorn was short-lived The Native American victory at Little Bighorn was short-lived. The army crushed the uprising and sent most of the Native Americans to reservations. Sitting Bull and his followers fled north to Canada. By 1881, exhausted and starving, the Lakota and Cheyenne agreed to live on a reservation.

Apaches resented the reservations. Apache Wars Apaches resented the reservations. Apache leader, Geronimo, fled to Mexico. He led raids against the settlers. Thousands of troops were after Geronimo. Goyathlay ("one who yawns")

“Once I moved about like the wind. Now, I surrender to you.” -Geronimo 1886 - Geronimo gave up. He was the last Native American to surrender formally to the United States.

A Changing Culture for Native Americans White settlers move onto their land. Slaughter of the buffalo. Reservation policy. U.S. Army attacks. “It makes little difference. . . Where one opens the record of the history of the Indians; every page and every year has its dark stain.” - Helen Hunt Jackson, American Reformer

Lack of private property 1887- Congress changed government policy. Dawes Act Try to end what Americans believed were the 2 weaknesses of Native American lives. Lack of private property Nomadic Tradition Break up reservations- end identification with tribal group; Give each a plot of land to farm and eventually become American citizens; Send children to white boarding schools.

Wovoka, a prophet, claimed the Sioux could regain their greatness by performing the ritual. Ghost Dance Reservation officials got nervous and banned the dance. They thought Sitting Bull was behind it. They went to the camp to arrest him. He was shot.

Lakota and Sioux fled in fear after Sitting Bull’s death. They gathered at a creek called WOUNDED KNEE in South Dakota. The Army went there to collect their weapons. No one knows how it started, but a shot rang out- the Army responded and more than 200 Sioux and 25 soldiers were killed.

Wounded Knee marked the end of armed conflict between whites and Native Americans. The Native Americans had lost their struggle.

Why did the different lifestyles of the Indians and white Americans lead to conflict?

Land to be settled and used. Stayed in one place, Manifest Destiny – Whites’ destiny to settle the whole of North America Exploited the land for their own benefit Individual needs put before those of the community Considered mutilation of the dead as barbaric Professional army to fight battles

Nomadic, followed the buffalo The Earth was sacred. Nobody owned the land Nomadic, followed the buffalo The Earth was sacred. Conserved the land and resources – only used what was needed Strong sense of community Indian warriors fought battles. They were also providers of food They were also providers of food