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The Great Plains
The federal government passed an act that designated the Great Plains area as a reservation, which is land specifically set aside for Native Americans. -
Tribal Boundaries
In the 1850's, the government changed its policies and created treaties that defined specific boundatires for each tribe. -
Massacre at Sand Creek
The Cheyenne returned to Colorado's Sand Creek Reserve for the winter under the assumption that they were under the protection of the U.S. government. However, Gen. S.R. Curtis, a U.S.Army commander in the west, sent a confrontational telegram initiating war. He then attacked the Cheyenne and Arapaho on the dawn of November 29, 1864, killing over 150 people. -
Crazy Horse Ambush on Fetterman
After Red Cloud appealed to the government to end white settlement on the Bozeman Trail, the warrior, Crazy Horse ambushed Captain William J. Fetterman and his company at Lodge Trail. This ended up killing over 80 of Fetterman's soldiers. -
Laramie Treaty
Battles continued on the Bozeman Trail until the government agreed to close the Bozeman Trail. In return, the Treaty of Fort Laramie was forced on the Sioux leaders. The is stated that the Sioux had to agree to live on a reservation along the MO River. Sitting Bull never signed it. But, the Ogala and Brule Sioux did sign with the expectation of continuation of their usual hunting grounds. -
Red River War
In 1868, war broke out between the Kiowa/Comanche and the U.S. Army. The Kiowa and Comanche engaged in six years of raiding of white settlers finally leading to the Red River War in 1874-75. The U.S. Army responded by herding the people of friendly tribes onto reservations while opening fire on all others. -
Custer's Last Stand
Crazy Horse, Gall, and Sittiing Bull, outflanked and crushed Custer's troops, killing Custer and all his men within an hour. -
Dawe's Act
Congress passed the Dawe's Act, aiming to "Americanize" the Native Americans. It broke up the reservations and gave some of the reservation land to individual Native Americans. -
Wounded Knee
After a shot fired in Wounded Knee Creek , South Dakota(not known from which side), the Seventh Calvary regiment slaughtered as many as 300 unarmed Native Americans. This resulted in the end of the Indian wars, an entire era.
