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Great Plains Reservation
Federal Government passed an act that designated the entire Great Plains as one enormous reservation. -
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Government changes policy
Government changes its policy and created treaties that defined specific boundaries for each tribe. -
Massacre at Sand Creek
Most of the Cheyenne, assuming they were protected by the US government, peacefully returned to Colorado's Sand Creek Reserve for the winter. The attack at dawn killed over 150 inhabitants, mostly women and children. -
Ambush at Lodge Trail Ridge
Crazy Horse ambushed Captain William J. Fetterman and his company at Lodge Trail Ridge. Over 80 Soldiers were killed. Native Americans called this fight the Battle of the Hundred Slain. Whites called it the Fetterman Massacre. -
Gold rush
Colonel George A. Custer reported that the Black hills had gold, "from the grass roots down" a gold rush was on. Red cloud and spotted tail vainly appealed again to government officials. -
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Red River War
The U.S. Army responded by herding people of friendly tribes onto reservations while opening fire on all others. General Phillip Sheridan gave orders to destroy their villages and ponies. Kill and hang all warriors. -
Custer's Last Stand
Colonel Custer and his troops reached the Little Big Horn River, the Native Americans were ready for him. Crazy Horse, Gall, and Sitting Bull, the warriors outflanked and crushed Custer's troops. -
Dawes Act
Congress passed the Dawes Act aiming to Americanize the Native Americans. The act broke up the reservations and gave some of the reservation land to individual native Americans. 160 head of household to each household and 80 acres to each unmarried adult. -
Battle of Wounded Knee
The seventh Calvary, Custer's old regiment, rounded up about 350 Sioux and them to a camp at Wounded Knee Creek. Next day, the soldiers took all the Native Americans give up all their weapons. Shot was fired from either side, no one knows. Within minutes, the seventh Calvary slaughtered 300 Native Americans.