American West Dates

Question 1

When was the Dawes General Allotment Act?

Answer 1

1887

-Allowed reservations to be broken up into individual plots

Question 2

When was the Wounded Knee Massacre?

Answer 2

1890

• The ghost dance had spread rapidly, despite it being banned, a group of Indians were captured and sent to a camp at Wounded Knee.
• 146 Indians were killed, including the old, women, and children

Question 3

When was the Battle of Little Bighorn?

Answer 3

1876

• General Custer made strategic errors that led to a US defeat.
• A victory for the Plains Indians

Question 4

When was the Great Sioux War?

Answer 4

1876-1877

• The government started a war with the Sioux while trying to protect railway surveyors and gold seekers in the Black Hills (which was sacred land for the Sioux)
• Government offered to buy the Black Hills, Sioux rejected.

Question 5

When was the Lincoln County War?

Answer 5

1878

• Started due to the murder of John Tunstall by the House Cowboys
• Billy the Kid and others set to avenge his death

Question 6

When was The Earps and the OK Corral?

Answer 6

1881

• In the town of Tombstone, Virgial Earp was hired as town marshall, bringing his brothers Wyatt and Morgan
• A dispute erupted between the Earps and the local outlaws. The Earps won a gunfight at the OK Corral.

Question 7

When was the first Oklahoma Land Rush?

Answer 7

1889

-When 2 million acres of land in Oklahoma opened for settlement

Question 8

When was the second Oklahoma Land Rush?

Answer 8

1893

People raced towards 42,000 plots of land, thinking there was 100,000 plots available

Question 9

When was the Exoduster movement?

Answer 9

1870s

Black Americans migrated towards Kansas to escape racism, poverty, and attacks from the KKK

Question 10

When was Red Cloud’s war?

Answer 10

1866-1868
Since the discovery of god in Sioux lands led to crossing hunting grounds, Sioux attacked, but they weren’t strong enough to attack the forts

Question 11

When was the second Fort Laramie Treaty, signed after Red Cloud’s War?

Answer 11

1868

US recognised Black Hills as part of the Sioux reservation

Question 12

When was the Cheyenne Wars?

Answer 12

1864-1867
Discovery of gold in Colorado meant settlers moved across Sioux land. Fighting broke out until the army moved in.
-Chiefs signed the Treaty of Medicine Lodge, agreeing to move to a reservation

Question 13

When was the Indian Removal Act?

Answer 13

1830
Established a Permanent Indian Frontier
-Forced the removal of thousands of Plains Indians, called the Trail of Tears

Question 14

When was the Indian Appropriations Act?

Answer 14

1851

-Focused on civilising the Plains Indians by confining them to reservations and setting up schools

Question 15

When was the gold rush towards California’s Sierra Nevada mountains?

Answer 15

1849

Question 16

When was the Mormon Migration?

Answer 16

1846-1847

Migrated to escape persecution

Question 17

When was the first Fort Laramie Treaty?

Answer 17

1851

• Separated the two sides through the creation of reservations and hunting areas
• Indians promised not to attack travellers and allow forts and roads being built, in return for annual money

Question 18

When was Little Crow’s War?

Answer 18

1861-1862

• Santee Sioux reservation wasn’t suitable for farming, they were forced to live on credit.
• Settlers were killed as violence broke out, army moved in and the Indians surrendered