3.3 Plains Indians' life on the reservations Flashcards
What were reservations?
cut down Indian lands into scraps of territory
What were the living conditions like on the reservations? (5)
- nomadic hunting lifestyle was no longer permitted: Plains Indians no longer had the ability to feed clothe and shelter themselves
- rations were poor and crops often failed.
- Medical care was very poor so diseases such as measles and “flu” were very common which meant that many reservation Indians died from them
- reservations were created on land that was least wanted by white Americas: not fertile, didn’t contain minerals, therefore, making survival difficult
- farming was not part of traditional American life for most Plains tribe
What is an example of a native American tribe that could farm?
Pawnee
they were hunters and farmers
How did government agents create good behaviour amongst Plains Indian councils?`
they used bribes of increased food rations or medical supplies in return for good behaviour
What is the deal with the Indian Agency Police?
some Indians joined this force - they were responsible for keeping order amongst their former tribespeople
in return, they were fed, clothed and sheltered and were generally able to maintain a reasonable standard of living than others on the reservation
What is the deal with Indian agents?
the government appointed Indian agents to look after the reservations, but they were often corrupt.
money intended for the Indians often disappeared
When were chiefs no longer able to sign treaties?
1871
What took over the chiefs’ powers in the 1880s?
elaborate on it
the government had set up special councils among the tribes which took over the chiefs powers’ that enabled them to look after people on the reservations
In 1883, how else were tribal chiefs powers diminished?
special courts took over the chiefs powers to judge and punish Plains Indians
In 1885 what happened to the special courts and what did this mean?
they were abolished in favour of the US federal law courts
this meant that Plains Indians had lost all ability to govern themselves
How were Indian children taught white American values?
- sent to schools that were off-reservations
- if parents resisted or refused, their food rations were withdrawn until they agree
- Indian children punished for using their own language and respecting their culture
how many Indian children were in boarding school in 1887?
2,020 pupils and 117 boarding schools
Indians were not allowed to hunt. How did this affect them?
affected their whole social structure and removed men’s traditional role
affected their clothing and lifestyle
How were Indians deskilled?
- they were excellent horsemen, hunter and warrior but they had no horses on reservations so they could not hunt buffalo or fight
- some refused to learn “white” skills like ploughing, sowing and reaping
