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Great Plains Reservation
The federal government had passed an act that designated the entire Great Plains as one enormous reservation, or land set aside for Native American tribes. -
Boundaries for Tribes
The government changed its policy and created treaties that defines specific boundaries for each tribe. -
Sand Creek Massacre
The cheyenne assuming they were under the protection of the U.S. government, peacefully returned to Colorado's Sand Creek Reserve for the winter. Yet General S. R. Curtis, U.S. Army commander in the West, sent a telegram to militia colonel John Chivington that read, "I want no peace till the Indians suffer more." In response, Chivington and his troops descended on the Cheyenne and Arapaho. The attack at dawn killed over 150 inhabitants, mostly women and children. -
Fetterman Massacre on Bozeman Trail
The Bozeman Trail ran directly through Sioux hunting grounds in the Bighorn Mountains. The warrior 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. -
Laramie Treaty
A treaty in which the Sioux agreed to live on a reservation along the Missouri River, was forced on the leaders of the Sioux. The Natives did get to keep their hunting grounds. -
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Red River War
War broke out yet again as the Kiowa and Comanche engaged in 6 years of raiding that finally led to the Red River War. The U.S. army responded by herding the people of friendly tribes onto reservations while opeing fire on all others. General Philip Sheridan, a Union Army veteran, gave orders "to destroy their villages and ponies, to kill and hang all warriors, and to bring back all women and children." With such tactics, the army crushed resistance on the southern plains. -
Custers Last Stand
In early June 1876, the Sioux and Cheyenne held a sun dance, during which Sitting Bull had a vision of soldiers and some Native Americans falling from their horses. When colonel Custer and his troops reached the Little Bighorn River, the Native Americans were ready for them. Led by Crazy Horse, Gall, and Sitting Bull the Natives outflanked Custers troops. Within an hour Custer and all his men were dead. -
The Dawes Act
This act aimed to "Americanize" the Natives. The act broke up reservations and gave some of it to individual Native Americans, 160 acres to each head of household, and 80 acres to unmarried adults. The government would sell the rest to settlers and use that money buy the Indians farming equipment. In the end Native Americans never received any money from the selling of the land. -
Destruction of Buffalo
This was the most significant blow to the tribal life. Tourists and fur traders shot them for game. U.S. Genreal Sheridan noted with approval that buffalo hunters were destroying the Plains Indians main source of food, clothing, shelter, and fuel.In 1800 approximately 65 million buffalo roamed the plains; by 1890, fewer than a 1000 remained.In 1900, the U.S. sheltered, in Yellowstone National Park, a single herd of buffalo.
