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Great Plains Act
In, 1834 the federal government had passed an act that designated the entire Great Plaings as one enormous reservation, for the Native American Tribes. -
Changing of the Treaty
In the 1850's the government had changed its policy and created treaties that defined specific boundries for each tribe. Most Native Americans spurned the governments treaties and continuied to hunt on their traditional lands clashing with settlers. -
Massacure at Sand Creek
Most of the Cheyenne had thought they were under the protection of th U.S. Government, and had returened to Colorado's Sand Creek Reserve for the winter. THo, General S. R. Curtis sent a telogram to militia collonel John Chivington that said "I want no peace till the Indians suffer more. In response, Chivington his troops descended on the Cheyenne and Arapha, about 200 warriors and 500 women and children. THey attacked at dawn, killing over 150 inhabitants, mostly women and children -
Death on Bozeman Trail
THe BOzeman Trail ran right through the Sioux hunting grounds in the Bighorn Mountains. Red Cloud, chief of the Siouxs, unsuccesfully appealed to the government to end white settlement on the trail. In December, Crazy Hourse had ambushed Captain William J. Fetterman and his group at Lodge Trail Ridge. Over 80 soldiers killed. -
Treaty of Fort Laramie
Fights ahd continued until the government closed Bozeman Trail. In return, the Treaaty o fFort Laramie was created , which the Sioux agreed to live along the Missouri River on a reservation. Sitting Bull, the leader of the Hunkpa Sioux had never signed it , though the Ogala and Brule Sioux did, theu expected to continue huntiong on thier traditional hunting grounds -
Red River War
A war broke out in 1868 yet again as the Kiowa and Camanche engaged in six years of raiding that led tothe Red River War of 1874-1875. The U.S. Army respobnded by getting the people of friendly tribes onto reservations while opening fire on everyone else. General Phillips Sheridan gave orders "to detroy their villages and ponies, to kill and hang all warriors, and to bring back all women and childre." with this the army had ruiiend all resistance on the plains. -
Custer's Last Stand
In early June, the Sioux and Cheyenne held a sun dance, during this Sitting Bull had a vision of soldiers and some Native Aericans falling from their horses. So, when Custer had reached the Little BIghorn River, the Native Americans were ready. Crazy Horse, Gall, and Sitting Bull were led tthe warriors as they outflanked and crushed Custer's troops. After an hour, Custer and the rest of the men in the Seventh Cavalry were dead. In late1876, the Sioux were beaten. -
The Dawes Act
Congress had passed the Dawes act to try and "Americanize" the Native Americans. This act brokeup several reservations and gave some of their land to individual Native AMericans-160 acers each household and 80 acres to each unmarried adult. the rest the government would sell to settlers, and the income would be used by the Natives to buy farm impluments. -
Wounded Knee
The Seventh Cavalry, Custers old Rgiment, rounded up 350 starving and freezing Sioux and took them to a camp at wounded Knee Creek in SOuth Dakota. The next day, the soldiers demanded the the Natives give up their weapons. A shot was fired; from wich side it was not clear. the soilders opend fire with a deadly cannon. Within minuets, the Seventh Cavalry slaughterd as many as 300 mostly unarmed Native Americans, severel children included. this had brought the Indian War to a bitter end
