hunted buffalos, planted crops, settled
in small villages, and gathered wild
foods believing powerful spirits
controlled the world's natural events
lived in small extended families and
spoke same language
those who showed sensitivity to
spirits became medicine men
and women
leaders ruled by counsel
rather than force
Native Americans believe that land
can't be owned which led them to
being coerced into forfeiting it for
migrants to use for mining and to
start businesses
Native American tribes settled in the
Great Plains (grassland west-central
portion of U.S.)
MAJOR EVENTS
Massacre at Sand Creek (1864) - one of the most tragic
events caused by the U.S. Commander's order to
have no peace until Indians suffer more leading
to the killing 150 inhabitants of Sand Creek.
Death on the Bozeman Trail (1866) - Sioux
appealed to the government to end white
settlements provoking several attacks.
Red River War (1868) - 6 years of raiding between the
tribes before this war started and reservations were
made before a Union Army veteran ordered the
destroying of villages, hanging of warriors, and
bringing back of women and children.
Custer's Last Stand (1876) - sundance based on the
visions with Native Americans on leading to Cluster
and his men of the Seventh Cavalry to be killed
within the first hour and the Sioux extensively beaten
The Ghost Dance (1890) - ritual promised to restore
Native American lifestyle which led to the killing of
Sitting Bull and Chief Big Foot taking control over
Sioux
Battle of Wounded Knee (1890) - Seventh Cavalry rounded
up 350 starving freezing people, took their weapons,
and slaughtered them leaving their corpses to freeze
IMPORTANT PEOPLE
Sitting Bull (Tatanka Iyotanka) - leader of the
Hunkpapa Sioux Tribe who disagreed with
the Treaty of Fort Laramie. He led with
purpose and stood up for Native Americans
rights which led to him being killed by the
American police during the Ghost Dance in
December 1890.
George A. Custer - colonel that reported that the
Black Hills had gold starting the Gold Rush (1874) which
led to another appeal by the Sioux as they knew
they would have no advantage from this discovery
due to empowered whites
ELEMENTS OF FARMING
Destruction of the Buffalo - amount of
buffalos decreased as they were shot
as a "sport"
Longhorns - sturdy-short tempered
accustomed to the dry grasslands of
Southern Spain and raised for their
meat as a source of food
Demand for Beef - beef was transported
from Sedalia, TX to Chicago facing many
obstacles like thunderstorms, angry
farmers trampled crops blocking cattle,
herds sold at low prices, and herds dying
Chisholm Trail - major route from San
Antonio to Oklahoma to Kansas that
was used to transported cattlepens.
Working of the Plains - Workers were mainly
Anglo-Americans, but also 25% African
American, and ±12% Mexican. Work day
consisted of 10-14 hours on ranches or 14+ on
trails.
Roundup consisted of a large corral
followed by claiming and branding of cattle,
and then choosing crew for long drive.
The Long Drive - overland transport lasted 3 months in which each
cowboy was in charge of 250-300 cattle heads putting themselves at risk
of death daily from lightening or stampedes that can be easily triggered
(thunder or even sneeze). Also, trail boss supervises and earns $100++
per month.
Bonanza Farm - new type of farm that was an
enormous single-crop operation spread over
15,000-50,000 acres, that ended up suffering from
droughts and became bankrupt.
End of Open Range - overgrazing of land, bad
weather, and the invention of barbed wire led to it
being cheaper to have smaller herds within fenced
farms
MOVING
Manifest Destiny - belief that
Americans are destined to move to the
West because light, progress,
civilisation, and technology were
coming to the West
Exoduster - thousands of African
Americans who moved from
post-Reconstruction South to Kansas
TREATIES/ACTS
Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868) - stated all
Sioux must live on a 'small reservation'
along the Missouri River
The Dawes Act (1887) - aimed to
"Americanize" Native
Americans by giving 160 acres
of land to families and 80
acres of land to unmarried
adults, the remainder to
settlers, and the monetary
outcome to Native Americans
for farming. By 1932, the
whites took 2/3 of the land and
left no money.
Homestead Act (1862) - passed
by Congress
offering 160 acres of land to
any citizen to encourage
settlers to come to the West
Morrill Act (1862 +1890) - government supported
farmers by financing agricultural
education
DESTROYING NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE
Forced to Deal With - No say in personal
affairs, unproductive land, pressure from
whites seeking land, ignorance of their history,
weakening their traditional lifestyle, and
gathering of opposing tribes.
Ways the Government Established Superiority -
Reconstruction of the Buffalo, taking over their
territory, no say in personal affairs, moving them to
'small reservations', ignoring history and weakening
culture, government providing bad food, and coercing
them to forfeit their home land.