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Period: to
1860-1880
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Homestead Act
This act was passed by Congress in 1862. This act gave 160 free acres of land to any settler that paid a fee and lived on that land for 5 years. This act brought farmers to Plains to earn homestead. Homesteading lured many settlers into the plains, some were immigrants, and many were woman. Only woman without a husband could aquire homestead. -
Fetterman Massacre
The Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho indian warriors staged several attacks on the U.S. troops. The worse incident that effected the U.S. troops was the Fetterman Massacre. Crazy Horse, a Sioux military leader, acted as a decoy to lure a U.S. commander to send 80 troops in pursuit. The troops were ambushed and all were killed. -
Treaty of Fort Laramie
The U.S. and Sioux indian tribes signed a treaty stating a reservation for the Sioux tribes in the Black Hills of Dakota. The treaty was signed in 1868 at Fort Laramie and in several Sioux military districts. The Native Americans promised to stop attacking U.S. settlers. -
Discovery of 1874
Conflict of 1874 was over the Black Hills, of the Dakotas. The U.S. government promised no white would enter this territory but the rumor of gold being in these hills led Custer on a U.S. army expedition to check if the rumors were true. Prospectors swarmed the area. -
Battle of Little Bighorn
250 U.S. troops led by Custer went into Native American territory in the Black Hills. The Sioux, led by Sitting Bull, gathered up Sioux and Cheyenne warriors to fight the US troops. The native Americans killed all 250 US troops and Custer, resulting in a huge victory for the Native Americans. -
The Ghost Dance
A Sioux prophet named Wovoka said if this ritual was performed, the Sioux's greatness would return. It was a way for the Sioux to express their culture being destroyed. The ritual spread and the indian reservations became alarmed and banned the dance. -
Wounded Knee
After Sitting Bull's death, the Sioux fled in fear to a creek called Wounded Knee, in southwestern South Dakota. The US army came there to collect the Sioux's weapons, but a fire rang out and then shooting starting. 25 US troops and 200 Siouxs were killed from the fighting. This was the last conflict between the U.S. and the Indians.
