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Great Plains Reservation
The Federal Government designated the Great Plains as one enormous reservation, set aside for Native American tribes. -
1850's: New policy, new treaties
The government changed its policy and created treaties that defined specific boundaries for each tribe. Most Native Americans ignored the boundaries and hunted on their traditional lands. This caused fighting between them and the settlers and miners. -
Massacre at Sand Creek
General S.R. Curits, who was a 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." So, Chivington and his troops attacked the 700 Cheyenne and Arapaho that were camped at Sand Creek in Colorado. 150 people were killed in the attack, most of which were women and children. -
Bozeman Trail Ambush/Fetterman Massacre/Battle of the Hundred Slain
The Bozeman Trail ran through Sioux hunting grounds in the Bighorn Mountains. The Sioux chief, Red Cloud, had unsuccessfully appealed to the government to end white settlement on the trail. Crazy Horse ambushed Captain William J. Fetterman and his company at Lodge Trail Ridge. Over 80 soldiers were killed. -
Treaty of Fort Laramie
The Treaty of Laramie was forced on the leaders of the Sioux. The Sioux had to agree to live on a reservation along the Missouri River. Sitting Bull never signed it. The Ogala and Brule Sioux did sign it, but still expected to use their traditional hunting grounds. -
Red River War (1874-1875)
The U.S. Army's response to 6 years of raiding by the Kiowa and Comanche. They herded the people of friendly tribes onto reservations and killed all others. General Philip Sheridan gave orders "to destroy their villages and ponies, to kill and hang all warriors, and to bring back all women and children." This crushed resistance on the southern plains. -
Custer's Last Stand
The Sioux and Cheyenne had a sun dance where Sitting Bull had a vision that Native Americans and soldiers were falling off their horses. They were ready to fight Colonel Custer and his troops when they reached the Little Bighorn River. Crazy Horse, Gall, and Sitting Bull crushed Custer's troops. Within an hour, Custer and all the men of the Seventh Calvary were dead. By the end of 1876 however, the Sioux were beaten. -
Dawes Act
This aimed to "Americanize" the Native Americans. It broke up the reservations and gave some of the reservation land to Native Americans. Each head of household received 160 acres, and each unmarried adult received 80 acres. The remaining land was sold to settlers and the income was suppossed to be used by Native Americans to buy farm implements. -
The Battle of Wounded Knee
The Seventh Calvary rounded up about 350 Sioux and took them to a camp at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. The soldiers told the Native Americans to give up their weapons. A random shot was fired, and the soldiers started shooting. In minutes, 300 mostly unarmed Native Americans, including several children, were slaughtered. This brought the Indian wars to an end.
