1. The First Americans

2. Native People Led a Nomadic Hunting Lifestyle
Depended on the Buffalo for Nearly Everything.

4. American Thirst for Land
Homesteaders moved onto the Plains seeking land to settle and farm.
Treaties with Native Tribes made land available for settlers and left less valuable land for the Native People.

5. American Thirst for Land
Gold discoveries led to encroachments on Indian Lands.
U.S. pushed Native People to move onto Reservations
Native people fought to preserve their land.

6. Buffalo Hunting
Conducted by the Railroads to provide meat for work crews.
Promoted by the U.S Government to weaken Native Americans on the Great Plains

7. Lakota (Sioux) Comanche
Native Leaders
Lakota (Sioux) Comanche
Sitting Bull Crazy Horse Quanah Parker

8. Native Leaders
Apache Nez Perce
Geronimo Chief Joseph

9. Resistance
The Northern Plains tribes defeated George Custer and the 7th Cavalry at the Little Bighorn.
Custer and over 200 men were killed.
The Lakota eventually moved to the Reservation anyway.

10. Resistance
The Comanche were defeated at Palo Duro Canyon by Ranald MacKenzie and the 4th Cavalry.
Destroyed the Comanche horse herds
Comanche were forced to move to the Reservation

11. Resistance
Geronimo and a small band of Apache fought against U.S. encroachment for over 10 Years.
Over 5000 U.S. troops were used to locate Geronimo’s band.
Geronimo surrendered to General George Crook in 1886

12. Resistance
The Nez Perce fled their homeland & fought a series of battles with the U.S. Army that covered over 1500 miles.
Forced to surrender less than 40 miles from Canada & freedom.
Upon surrendering, Chief Joseph said “From where the suns now stands, I will fight no more forever.”

13. Reservation Life
Native people were forced to rely on corrupt Indian agents for food, shelter & all necessities of life.
Agents took money intended for the Indians, & bought the cheapest supplies available.
Agents kept leftover money for themselves.

14. *Americanization*
Native children were taken from the reservations and placed in boarding schools.
Children were forced to learn American culture.

15. The Dawes Act of 1887
"An Act to Provide for the Allotment of Lands to Indians on Reservations,"
Emphasized treatment of Native Americans as individuals rather than members of tribes.
Goal was to eliminate the reservation system.

16. Land Rushes The Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889 was the first land rush.
The area opened to settlement included part of the present-day state of Oklahoma.
An estimated 50,000 people lined up for their piece of two million acres.

17. Land Rushes
Many people entered the unoccupied land early & hid until the legal time of entry to lay quick claim to some of the most choice land.
These people became known as "Sooners."