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Reservation set aside for the Native Americans
The federal government had passed a act that designated the entire Great Plains as one enormous reservation, or land set aside for Native American tribes. -
1850's
The government changed its policy and created treaties that define specific boundaries for each tribe. Most Natibe Americans spured the government treaties and continued to hunt on their tradtitional lands, clashing with settlers and miners with tragic results. -
Massacre at Sand Creek
Most of the Cheyenne, assuming they were under the protection of the U.S. Government, had peacfully returned to Colorado's Sand Creek Reserve for the winter. Yet General S. R. Curtis, U.S. Army comander 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 decended on the Cheyenne and Arapaho, about 200 warriors and 500 women and children camped at Sand Creek. -
Death on the Bozeman Trial
The warrior Crazy Horse ambushed Captian William J. Fetterman and his company at Lodge Trail RIdge. Over 80 soldiers were killed. Native Aericans called this fight the Battle of the Hundred Slain. Whites called it the Fetterman Massacre. -
Treaty of Fort Laramie
Skirmishes continued until the Government agreed to close the Bozeman Trail. In return, the Treaty of Forst Laramie, in which the Sioux agreed to live on a reservation along the Missiour River, was forved on the leaders of the Sioux in 1868. Sitting Bull leader of the Hunkpapa Sioux, had never signed it. Although the Ogala and Brule Sioux did sign the treaty, they expected to continue using their traditional hunting grounds. -
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Red River War
In late 1868, war broke out yet again as the Kiowa and Coanche engaged in six year of raiding that finally led to the Red River War of 1874-1875. The U.S Army responded by herding the people of friendly tribes onto reservations while opening fire on all others. General Philip Sheridan, a Union Army verteran, gave oders "to destroy their villages and ponies, to kill and hang warriors, and to bring back all women and children," -
Custer's Last Stand
The Soiux 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. -
Wounded Knee
The Seventh Cavarly; Custers old regiment, rounded up about 350 starving and freezing Sioux and took them to a camp at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota.The next day, the souldiers demanded that they Native Americans give up all their weapons. A shot was fired; from which side, it was not clear. The soldiers opened fire with deadly cannon.
