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Aug 3, 1492
Columbus discovers the New World
<Christopher' >Christopher Columbus</a>Financed by the Queen of Spain, Christopher Columbus departed from Spain on August 3, 1492. After a sailing time of five weeks, Columbus landed in the Bahamas, which he named San Salvador. Thinking he had arrived in the Indies, the people he encountered in this new land were given the name 'Indians'. Trades, new diseases, cruelty, and destruction greatly changed the lives of the Indians, killing many of them. -
Period: Aug 3, 1492 to
Native American Timeline
These are the major events that affected the Native Americans. -
Jan 1, 1519
Hernan Cortes Conquers the Aztecs
Hernan
Hernan Cortes kidnapped the Aztec leader which caused the Aztec uprising that drove the Spaniards out of Tenochititlan. Hernan Cortes continued to fight with the Spaniards, who had many diseases, unknown to the Aztecs, on their side. 3 quarters of the native people died of illnesses and violence brought on by the Spaniards. After capturing and destroying Tenochititlan, the Aztec cizilization was mostly destroyed. -
Jan 1, 1552
Bartolome de Las Casas
[Bartolome](oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/philosophers/las_casas.html)
Bartolome de Las Casas was a priest, founder, bishop, and an advocate for the rights of Native Americans. He helped to repeal laws that were unfair to the Indians and tried to help them by attempting to set up a colony in Venezuela as a refuge for the Indians. He wrote; "The Destruction of the Indies" and appeared numerous time in court and in councils on behalf of the Indians. -
Founding of Jamestown
colonists100 colonists arrived in Virginia to establish the first permanent English Settlement in North America, known as Jamestown. Two weeks into the colonists stay there, the local Algonquian Native American warriors attacked Jamestown but were repulsed by the armed people. The indians and settlers both greatly benefitted from trades of livestock food but the indians also suffered from new diseases that the English had brought with them. -
Bacon's Rebellion
William
William Berkely, the govenor, tried to persuade the General Assembly to adopt a plan that would isolate the Susquehanock's and that would bring in Indian allies ; others thought that the Susquehanock war would be a war that could be on all Indians which would enable them the right to have Indian slaves and lands. Nataniel Bacon, their leader, wanted comission for fighting. This led to a Civil war. which was fought for 10 years. -
French and Indian war.
French
The French and English fight for landed resulted in the Indians living in between the French and English; west of the Sea-bordering colonies and east of the Appalachian Mountains. In the war, the Native Americans fought with the colonists against King Phillip. This resulteted in dependance on eachother and the sharing of supplies. -
Proclamation of 1763
1763A proclamation issued by the British whose purpose was to pacify the Indians and to know of what was going on with the settlers on their lands. All lands west of the Appalacian Divide prohibited settlers. This theoretically protected colonists from Indians and attempted to shield Indians from the increasing attacks from white settlers. -
Treaty of Paris
This
This proclamation, made by the US and Britain, ended the Revoloutionary War and declared the United States' independence from them. This meant the Americans could now impede on the Indians land. -
Treaty of Greenville
This
This established a boundary between the Indian's land and the settlers's land. This allowed the United States to govern all of its territory and gave the white settlers more of the Indians land. This forced to Indians to give up their land. move into reservations. -
Louisiana Purchase
FrenchFrench territory was purchased by the United States, which allowed for westward expansion. The indians were removed from their lands and forced onto reservations and then had to rely on the government for their supplies. One of these supplies were blankets, laced with smallpox. -
Lewis and Clark expedition
[This](//www.nebraskastudies.org/0400/stories/0401_0108.html)This was an exploration of western North America after the Louisiana Purchase was made. Lewis and Clark wanted to establish a long-time trade whereas the Indians wanted immediate results (merchandise). The Indian culture was forever changed by the contact to white men. -
Tecumseh and The Prophet
Techumseh
Tecumseh's brother, known as the 'Prophet', foresaw the end of their people, the Native Americans, and instigated a witchcraft craze. This left many of the victims, that he had accused; dead. The Prophet had a town, in which he was a religious lader with propaganda. Tecumseh worked to stop the Indian's land from being sold. He also joined the British in the war of 1812. -
Creek War
Creek
The U.S. came out victorious against the Creek Indians, allies of Britain, which resulted in more land for the U.S. A group known as 'Red Sticks' would fight white settlers and any opposers. The Ft. Mims Massacre, sparked an army of 5000 to wipe out 2 Indian tribes. Months after, hundreds of Creek Indians awaited the attack of the Americans. 1300 Indians were killed and imprisoned. -
Indian Removal Act
ThisThis was a petition made by white settlers who wanted more land out in the West. Andrew Jackson, the president at that time, wanted to have a systematic aproach towards Indian Removal. He encouraged Congress to adopt the Removal Act. As incentives, the Indians were given supplies and protection, under the law. Jackson was allowed to use any means to make the Indians agree to leaving the Southeast. They were succesful in forcing the Indians out of their homes. -
Worcester v. Georgia
TheseThese were laws that prohibited any non-Native American from trespassing on Native American land without special permission from the Government. Sam Worcester and his family refused to move off of Native American land. He was arrested and then appealed his charges and went to court. The Supreme court found that by arresting him, they had violated the 14 ammendment. This later resulted in the Trail of tears. -
Trail of Tears
BeingBeing forced to leave their homes in the Southeast, the Indians had to walk for thousands of miles to a place across the Mississippi River that was designated as 'Indian territory'. Many diseases abounded on this trail and an estimated 6000 Indians died. -
Oregon Trail
TheThe Oregon trail was a 2000 mile long trail over mountainous and hazardous terrain. This was a way for emigrants to go to the western part of North America. Indians and emigrants would trade supplies and it was rare when the Indians stole from them. The emigrants depleted a good portion of the land's resources, leaving the Indians with little to work with. -
Gold discovered in California
GoldGold nuggets discovered by the Mexicans in Sacramento Valley sparked the Gold Rush; where potential gold miners would travel to California to test their luck in finding this gold. Buffalo were constantly eaten by the people who travelled through Indian land. They also lost more and more of their land and were killed in the process of trying to defend it. -
Passage of the Homestead Act
TheThe signing of this law allowed for western settlement in the U.S. Any American could claim up to 160 acres of land, owned by the federal government, for free. This took Indian land away and gave it to the settlers. -
Sand Creek Massacre
ThisThis massacre occurred when a mass of 700 men, of the Colorado Territory militia murdered the peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho villages. The night before this occured, the men had been heavily drinking. Two thirds of the people killed were women and children. -
Diminished Buffalo herds
ThisThe decreased buffalo herds heavily impacted the Indians as the buffalo provided many resources and was a main source of food for the Indians. The decrease was caused by the constant overhunting by white men. -
Gold in the Black Hills, and the Ft. Laramie Treaty
ThisSacred to the Indians of Dakota, the Black Hills, which was preserved Indian territory, was taken by the U.S. because of the discovery of gold in these mountains. -
Battle of the Little Big Horn
ThisWhen the Indians heard they were going to be attacked, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse quickly made preperations. The attackers were quickly overwhelmed by the Indian's defense. In only an hour, the attackers were all dead. -
Nez Perce War
ThisThis started with Indian land being open to white settlers. The Indians that lived on this land were forced to move to a reservation. Tensions, battles and death tolls grew as time went by. The Indians made an attempt to run to freedom in Canada. Their pursuers surrendered.
