Indian Tribes on the Great Plains
- Apache
- Comanche
- Cheyenne
- Arapaho
- Pawnee
- Sioux
- Comanche
- Cheyenne
- Arapaho
- Pawnee
- Sioux
Indian Tribes in the Southwest and Far West
- Navajo
- Nez Perce
- Apache
- Nez Perce
- Apache
Native American Lifestyle
The Plains Indians listed above were settled on a wide stretch of rolling plains places between the Rocky Mountains, the 98th meridian, Canada, and Texas. Several tribes dotted states such as Nebraska, Minnesota, Montana, Oklahoma, and Texas, though conditions were rough. Approximately 75,000 Indians inhabited the Plains in the mid-1800s.
The buffalo was depended on by the Plains Indians; it was vital that these were chased and hunted for necessary supplies such as food, shelter, and tools. In the 1500s, America was introduced to horses. The Spanish had brought them. These were also useful in transportation and buffalo hunting.
The buffalo was depended on by the Plains Indians; it was vital that these were chased and hunted for necessary supplies such as food, shelter, and tools. In the 1500s, America was introduced to horses. The Spanish had brought them. These were also useful in transportation and buffalo hunting.
Changes to the West
A major change to the West in the 1800s was the migration of miners and settlers onto the Great Plains. Treaties tried to solve issues over what the settlers and miners were allowed to access. These issues did not remain resolved.
In 1858, Plains Indians met miners heading towards Colorado in search of gold. The requirement for Native Americans to remain on "areas of federal land set aside for American Indians", or reservations, soon followed. These Indians could no longer follow buffalo, changing there lives greatly.
The U.S. army carefully protected miners who were following the Bozeman Trail by surrounding it with forts. Several disagreements and battles between American Indians and miners broke out. Eventually, the bozeman trail and forts surrounding it were abandoned.
More gold was discovered in 1874 in the Black Hills, causing the U.S. government to demand that the Sioux move away from the Hills. The leader of the Sioux tribe was not pleased with this demand.
Native Americans began to lose power as leaders and followers abandoned the Great Plains.
A Paiute Indian stated that if Indians performed a dance, paradise would appear. No suffering would take place, and life would return to its ways before settlers arrived. This was named the Ghost Dance.
Further away from the Great Plains in the Southwest and West, the Navajo resisted moving to a reservation. This tribe surrendered, and a year later they were forced to march to Bosque Redondo, New Mexico, the location for their new reservation.
Along with the Navajo, the Nez Perce was also forced to move. After the tribe tried to flee, they were stationed in Oklahoma.
The Apache was moved to San Carlos, Arizona, which was brutally hot.
Native Americans were not content with living on reservations; no food could be obtained. Years later, acts were passed to improve Indian lives, but few things were made better.
In 1858, Plains Indians met miners heading towards Colorado in search of gold. The requirement for Native Americans to remain on "areas of federal land set aside for American Indians", or reservations, soon followed. These Indians could no longer follow buffalo, changing there lives greatly.
The U.S. army carefully protected miners who were following the Bozeman Trail by surrounding it with forts. Several disagreements and battles between American Indians and miners broke out. Eventually, the bozeman trail and forts surrounding it were abandoned.
More gold was discovered in 1874 in the Black Hills, causing the U.S. government to demand that the Sioux move away from the Hills. The leader of the Sioux tribe was not pleased with this demand.
Native Americans began to lose power as leaders and followers abandoned the Great Plains.
A Paiute Indian stated that if Indians performed a dance, paradise would appear. No suffering would take place, and life would return to its ways before settlers arrived. This was named the Ghost Dance.
Further away from the Great Plains in the Southwest and West, the Navajo resisted moving to a reservation. This tribe surrendered, and a year later they were forced to march to Bosque Redondo, New Mexico, the location for their new reservation.
Along with the Navajo, the Nez Perce was also forced to move. After the tribe tried to flee, they were stationed in Oklahoma.
The Apache was moved to San Carlos, Arizona, which was brutally hot.
Native Americans were not content with living on reservations; no food could be obtained. Years later, acts were passed to improve Indian lives, but few things were made better.
Conflicts, Treaties, and Laws
Several conflicts and wars were fought between the U.S. government and Native American Tribes in the 1800s. Many treaties and laws were passed to solve these issues, but many did not produce the desired results.
The U.S. government was determined to keep settlers and miners safe as they traveled the Great Plains in the 1800s. The first important agreement signed by the Plains Indians was the Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1851. Another treaty was also signed at Fort Atkinson. These treaties stated stated that Americans could carry out construction on Indian land as long as any damages were repaired.
Once reservations were created, several wars began to take place. Native Americans did not want to abandon their homelands to settle on federal land.
The first battle that broke out was known as the Sand Creek Massacre. The fight took place in 1864 in Colorado and was between the Cheyenne, a tribe that was quite peaceful and did not intend to battle whites, and the U.S. Army. The troops took the lives of 200 Cheyenne.
Two years later, a group of Sioux murdered 81 calvary troops along with their leader, Crazy Horse. This battle began because of American forts covering their hunting grounds. None of the troops survived.
The Treaty of Medicine Lodge was created in 1867. This insisted that Indians give up their land on the Great Plains. Not everybody wanted was pleased with this treaty; they did not want to lose their land.
The Comanche and the Texans began to fight. The Comanche was not ready to give away their land. The Comanche was ahead in battle, but the U.S. was able to keep the Comanche from receiving necessary supplies. In 1875, the Comanche officially lost the battle because their conditions were too poor.
Tensions rose between the U.S. government and the Sioux in 1874. The government told the tribe to move from their location in the Black Hills that contained gold. In the Battle of Little Bighorn, Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer attacked a Sioux camp in Montana. The Sioux tribe was able to defeat the U.S. Army after surrounding them. It was a major victory.
The Massacre at Wounded Knee led to the death of 150 Native Americans. After the Ghost Dance, U.S. troops began to search for Sitting Bull; they were afraid that the Sioux would rise against America. After the leader was killed, a Sioux settlement was discovered in Montana and the battle began.
When the Navajo tribe refused to remain on a reservation, the U.S. Army attacked the tribe. The Navajo lost many resources and had to surrender. They were assigned a reservation in Bosque Redondo, New Mexico. The journey to Bosque Redondo began in 1864 and was 300 miles long.
The Nez Perce agreed to move to their new reservation in Idaho, but many were unhappy with their location change. Some settlers were killed by the Nez Perce tribe before they left for Idaho. They hid from the U.S. government for weeks before getting caught and sent to Oklahoma in 1877.
American Indians were becoming upset with their living conditions. Reforms were called for and literature was composed sharing thoughts on poor Native American lifestyles. Reformers believed that Indians needed to live like whites did. The Dawes General Allotment Act passed in 1887 tried to make Indians adopt new ways instead of following tradition. American Indians became citizens and land was no longer shared. The results were not satisfying; land was lost and living conditions were not improved.
The U.S. government was determined to keep settlers and miners safe as they traveled the Great Plains in the 1800s. The first important agreement signed by the Plains Indians was the Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1851. Another treaty was also signed at Fort Atkinson. These treaties stated stated that Americans could carry out construction on Indian land as long as any damages were repaired.
Once reservations were created, several wars began to take place. Native Americans did not want to abandon their homelands to settle on federal land.
The first battle that broke out was known as the Sand Creek Massacre. The fight took place in 1864 in Colorado and was between the Cheyenne, a tribe that was quite peaceful and did not intend to battle whites, and the U.S. Army. The troops took the lives of 200 Cheyenne.
Two years later, a group of Sioux murdered 81 calvary troops along with their leader, Crazy Horse. This battle began because of American forts covering their hunting grounds. None of the troops survived.
The Treaty of Medicine Lodge was created in 1867. This insisted that Indians give up their land on the Great Plains. Not everybody wanted was pleased with this treaty; they did not want to lose their land.
The Comanche and the Texans began to fight. The Comanche was not ready to give away their land. The Comanche was ahead in battle, but the U.S. was able to keep the Comanche from receiving necessary supplies. In 1875, the Comanche officially lost the battle because their conditions were too poor.
Tensions rose between the U.S. government and the Sioux in 1874. The government told the tribe to move from their location in the Black Hills that contained gold. In the Battle of Little Bighorn, Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer attacked a Sioux camp in Montana. The Sioux tribe was able to defeat the U.S. Army after surrounding them. It was a major victory.
The Massacre at Wounded Knee led to the death of 150 Native Americans. After the Ghost Dance, U.S. troops began to search for Sitting Bull; they were afraid that the Sioux would rise against America. After the leader was killed, a Sioux settlement was discovered in Montana and the battle began.
When the Navajo tribe refused to remain on a reservation, the U.S. Army attacked the tribe. The Navajo lost many resources and had to surrender. They were assigned a reservation in Bosque Redondo, New Mexico. The journey to Bosque Redondo began in 1864 and was 300 miles long.
The Nez Perce agreed to move to their new reservation in Idaho, but many were unhappy with their location change. Some settlers were killed by the Nez Perce tribe before they left for Idaho. They hid from the U.S. government for weeks before getting caught and sent to Oklahoma in 1877.
American Indians were becoming upset with their living conditions. Reforms were called for and literature was composed sharing thoughts on poor Native American lifestyles. Reformers believed that Indians needed to live like whites did. The Dawes General Allotment Act passed in 1887 tried to make Indians adopt new ways instead of following tradition. American Indians became citizens and land was no longer shared. The results were not satisfying; land was lost and living conditions were not improved.