1. Why had conflict increased on the Great Plains by 1868?
Watch the following clip – why had conflict increased on the Great Plains by 1868?
What other reasons can you add?

2. Lesson Objectives
To identify the key reasons why the Indians were moved to the Reservations by 1870
To analyse the ways in which the Indians were controlled on the Reservations
To explain the role of the humanitarians and exterminators in influencing attitudes towards the Native Americans

3. What was the Permanent Indian Frontier?
In 1832, the US Government granted the Native Americans the Great Plains
This was to belong to them forever
The whites had no interest – referred to it as the Great American Desest
However...this would change for a number of reasons and ultimately led to the struggle for the Plains

4. The West The East The Great Plains P.I.F, 1832 MM, 1820s and 30s FF,
Oregon
FF,
1830s and 1840s
GM,
1840s
Mormons 1840s
California
HS, 1850s,
Cattlemen 1860s
1851 – First Fort Laramie Treaty
1868 – Second Fort Laramie Treaty

5. Why was Native American land gradually taken?
Gold
Railroad
Civil War
Cattle Industry
? What other factors were there ?

6. How did the US Government use the Reservations to destroy the Native Americans
1825 system of Indian Reservations developed on Great Plains.
Indians supervised by Government appointed Indian Agents
Intended to keep Indians apart from Homesteaders.
Indians were expected to live as farmers but at first were allowed to leave their reservations to hunt buffalo
After conflicts 1860s and 1870s lost this right.
‘Double process of peace within their reservation and war without.

7. Reservation conditions
By mid-1870s, Indians virtually prisoners on reservations
Conditions very bad
Very poor quality land, sometimes in unhealthy places
Very difficult for Indians to feed themselves, therefore they were dependent on Government handouts
Demoralising – no way for warriors to gain or maintain status
Some Indian agents dishonest, housing monies stolen, food rations inadequate, medical treatment not available.

8. Not all Indian Tribes found the change in lifestyle hugely traumatic
Eg. Pawnee were already farmers as well as hunters in contrast to the Sioux.

9. Destruction of Indian Culture
Government followed a deliberate policy of destroying all aspects of Indian Culture

10. 1) Territorial
Government created a series of laws that reduced the size of Sioux nations and split up the Sioux into smaller groups

11. 2) Political
At first, rations on the reservations were given to chiefs
This was then changed so that heads of families collected their own rations as this undermined and weakened the leadership of the chief
1885 Government took control of all legal matters – Indians lost any power to judge and punish members of their bands.
Dawes General allotment Act 1887 – communal reservations could be broken into smaller plots. Indians became land owning farmers. No need for chiefs.

12. 3) Economic
Sioux banned from leaving reservations to hunt or make war on enemies destroyed their economy
No buffalo meat for food, no buffalo hides for tipis, clothing etc, no chance to increase wealth by stealing horses

13. Religious
Feasts, dances, ceremonies were banned
Power of medicine man undermined. No need for young men to seek visions
Spiritual gap was then filled by Christian Missionaries

14. Educational
Children were taken from their families and sent to boarding school – ‘preparation for the White Man’s World’
‘Kill the Indian in him and save the Man’
Not allowed to speak Indian language. Taught to have no respect for way of life
Sioux unable to stop children being taken – rations would be stopped if they did

15. How might attitudes to the Plains Indians change during this time period?
See-saw effect (changed over the period)
Humanitarians (mainly in the East) - should live with the Native Americans
Exterminators (mainly the army/ settlers in West) believed they should be destroyed