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Mormons enter the Plains
Fleeing from religious persecution, Mormons began traveling West to share their religious idea that they were chosen by God to spread truth across the world and to build utopia. -
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Pushed Out of the Rockies
Groups like Utes and Paiutes were pushed out of the Rocky Mountains by US expansion into Colorado by the Mormon population. Members of these groups joined the US military in campaign in the southwest against other native groups -
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Building of the Transcontinental Railroad
Starting in the 1850's many railroad companies received over 1M acres of land to build the railroad. By the 1800's nearly 2.5% of the nation's workforce labored in the railroad, with 200K Chinese living in the US. BY the 1900's there were 190,000 miles of line, including multiple transcontinental lines. Finally, by 1893, the region was completely transformed. -
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Precious-Metal Strikes
As Americans started to head West, many began to receive quick profit from gold and silver. However, droves of prospectors began to pour into Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, and Black Hills after precious-metal spikes. -
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Treaties of Fort Laramie and the Indian Peace Commission
The first Treaty of Fort Laramie secured access for those passing through California and Oregon. A gold rush in 1858 drew many gold seekers which they demanded new treaties to be made by local Indian groups. By summer of 1864, many saw Cheyenne as dangerous so chief Black Kettle tried to give peace by moving camp near Fort Lyon and Sand Creek but Chivington's militia cut them down. As settlers continued violence. Congress authorized the Creation of an Indian Peace Commission -
Cattle Drivers
In the 1860's and 70's, the national network created the cattle drivers. The railroads allowed the market for ranching, but came into many conflicts with the Native Americans. Cattle drivers had a difficult task for those managing the herds (many of these were men, but some workers were female). By the 1880's the railroads made them obsolete. -
Novels of People
In the 1860s, people began to read novels that represented the lives of real-life individuals (such as Billy the Kid). -
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Western Population Exploded
Midwestern territories sometimes found in homesteads a self sufficiency denied at home. Boosters made the Plains look very fertile and nutritious. This encouraged many to settle in the plains, such as Texas and Kansas. This boomed their population growth. -
Homestead Act
With the passing of the Homestead Act in 1862, many Americans began to use it to try and gain land -
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Dakota Nation/Territory & the Dakota War
Tensions erupted between Dakota Nation and settlers in Minnesota and Dakota Territory. The illegal influx of farmers pushed Dakota to its breaking point. Many farming found themselves into poverty and many Dakota bands began to kill white settlers. This exploded into the Dakota War. One fight that broke out was at the Battle of Wood Lake where US broke Indian resistance ending this war. Many Dakota people were taken as prisoners and many were raped or murdered. The US also began to kill camps. -
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Treaties and Victories for Native Americans
With military defeat in 1862, many bands signed treaties with the IS and drifted into the Red Cloud and Spotted Tail agencies to collect rations and annuities but many continued to resist American encroachment. This lead to the Treaty of 1868 and created the Great Sioux Reservation. -
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Navajo Tribe
General James Carleton began searching for a reservation where he could remove the Navajo and end threat to US expansion in the Southwest. By April 1863, Carleton gave orders gather all Navajo population and escort them into the Bosque Redondo. This was a series of forced marches that led them to a place that was horrible, full of diseases, and inadequate. By 1868, Navajo signed the Treaty of Bosque Redondo, returning to their homeland. -
Bison Slaughter peaks
As people entered into the plains, the expansion of the railroad allowed bison slaughter to reach its highest peak. -
US Declaring Unsettled 'Hostile"
U.S. Military finally proclaimed that all Indian settlers who were not settled on the reservations by fall of 1874 were considered hostile. -
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Expeditions and Defeat
In 1874 an expedition to the Black Hills of SD discovered gold, having whites flooding the territory (caring little about Indian rights). Federal leaders forced the Sioux to sign a new treaty giving the Black hills to the US. Late 1786, 7th Calvary regiment was sent up a trail into the Black Hills finding a large population of Sioux and Cheyenne. The Sioux surrendered in May 1877 after splintering into the wilderness and suffering long winters. In 1881, Sitting Bull went to the reservation. -
Bison Population Decreases
Due to peak of bison slaughter, the population of them began to drastically decrease creating a problem for those who work and get payed for slaughtering and skinning the bison. -
Native Population Decrease
By the 1800's the Native Population of CA collapsed with a few reservations set-up by the US government to collect what remained of the Native population -
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The Emergence of Wild West Shows
Between the late 1800's and early 1900's, Wild West shows were the unofficial national entertainment of the US. People from all around would travel and showcase the 'mystic frontier life'. One of the most famous was Gordon William "Pawnee Bill" Lillie who got his start when he was employed as an interpreter for Pawnee members of the show. He later went on to create his own production. In 1908 he combined with Cody to create a new extravaganza -
Dawes General Allotment Act
By the 1880's many Americans wanted legislation to transfer indigenous lands to farmers and ranchers. By February of 188, the Dawes General Allotment Act splintered Native American reservations into individual family homesteads. This upended Native lifestyles and left Native nations without sovereignty over lands. -
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Revelations and Killings
By January of 1889, Northern Paiute prophet Wovoka experienced a great revelations that told him to share that everyone must come together to do a Ghost Dance that would help bring peace and power back to them. The energy and message frightened settlers and Indian agents forcing military to crack down and make many to flee, while along the way killing many (ex Chief Sitting Bull in 1890). Americans shot their way through many camps killing hundreds, creating a dark time for Natives.