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Homestead Act of 1862
The Homestead Act of 1862 offered 160 acres to all US citizens (women, freed slaves, African Americans immigrants, etc.) who promised to live and farm on the land for 5 years. Northerners and Republicans wanted the deal open to farmers, while Southerners and Democrats wanted it to only be for slaveholders. As a way for these US citizens to get to their new land, the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 was passed to allow for a transcontinental railroad to be built across the country. -
Pacific Railroad Act of 1862
The Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 was passed in order to start construction for a transcontinental railroad to travel across the US. There was a massive need for faster transportation throughout the country. This also made migration much easier. Because there was a more efficient way to travel the country, the next act that was passed was the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862. This allowed for more African American and Native American colleges to be built around the country. -
Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862
The Morrill Act of 1862 was passed in order to finance the construction of new colleges specializing in "agriculture and mechanic arts." Some of the states used the money to make new schools, but others just moved the money over to existing colleges in their states. As people were traveling all over the country to start better lives, an attack on a camp of Cheyenne and Arapaho people by 675 US troops. This event is now known as the Sand Creek Massacre. -
Sand Creek Massacre
The Sand Creek Massacre was a surprise attack on two Native American troops by US troops and volunteers from Colorado. More than 230 Native Americans and 14 chiefs were killed in this massacre. As a way to resolved this issue, the government passed the Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1868. This treaty was an agreement between the US settlers and the tribes to decrease crimes within the two groups. -
Medicine Lodge Treaty, Chief Satana 1868
The Medicine Lodge Treaty was fully passed in 1868 to prevent all wars between the Native Americans and white settlers. The government relocated the Native Americans to Indian Reservations to get them away from European-American settlements. Chief Satana was one of the best war chiefs around. He was an outstanding warrior. In attempt to keep the Native Americans in their territories, they built boarding schools to have a good education. -
Crazy Horse, Red Cloud, and the Treaty of Fort Laramie 1868
The Treaty of Fort Laramie was signed in 1868 to resolve crimes between the Oglala Lakota and Arapaho tribes and the US settlers. It claimed that the US government would punish all white settlers who committed crimes against the tribes and all tribe members who committed crimes. Crazy Horse and Red Cloud were both leaders of the Oglala Lakota tribe and were very successful. This treaty, along with the Medicine Lodge Treaty, the wars were starting to become very preventable. -
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Boarding Schools
The Bureau of Indian Affairs built boarding schools for the Native American children to learn about the Euro-American culture. They weren't allowed to speak their own language or believe their own beliefs, so they had to learn how to be more American. Unfortunately, this didn't stop the Native Americans from becoming more used to the culture because it caused more battles to occur, such as the Battle of Little Bighorn. -
Great Sioux War
The Great Sioux War happened from 1876-1877. The whole point of the war was for the US to take ownership of Black Hills, also known as the land of gold. Settlers began taking over the Native American lands, which didn't go down very well. Throughout their many battles, the US ended the war with a victory and permanently established Indian reservations. -
Battle of Little Bighorn
The Battle of Little Bighorn occurred on June 25, 1876- June 26, 1876. It was an armed engagement between conjoined Native American tribes and the US Army. This resulted in the US dealing with almost 300 deaths and their own defeat. It was an incredible victory for the Native Americans. This battle was just one of the parts to the Great Sioux War between some of the tribes and the US. -
Chief Joseph
Chief Joseph was one of the leaders of the Wallowa Native American tribe in the US. He led his tribe through many different battles and fights between the white settlers. Chief ended up surrendering to the US with assuming that he and his tribe would be able to go back to their reservation. He died in 1904 at an Indian Reservation in Washington. -
Exodusters
The exodusters got their name from the Exodus of 1879 which was the first large migration of African Americans from the South to more Western states like Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma. The majority of them ended up staying poor because the economy was just so rough. All of this migration with the African Americans and the Native Americans causes issues with the European settlers because they were taking over their land. The government passed the Dawes Act of 1887 to try and keep everyone happy. -
Dawes Severalty Act, 1887
The Dawes Severalty Act was passed in 1887 and distributed Indian reservation land to individual Native Americans. This was part of their goal to create responsible farmers in the average white man's mind. With this law being put into place, it caused the Native Americans to become poorer, lose their social skills, and become sick easier. Their lives were changed for the worst. -
Massacre of Wounded Knee
The Massacre at Wounded Knee was a battle that killed hundreds of Lakota Indians by the US Army. It occurred on a Lakota Indian Reservation at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. Most of the people that were killed were women and children. The Sioux tribe believed in the Ghost Dance which made them reject the ways white men would solve their problems. It was one of the last major battles of the century.
