Native Americans Gilded Age Flashcards
What were the Plains Indians?
Plains Indians lived in Great Plains. In 19th century came into contact with settlers but they found the land unsustainable so initially left the Indians alone. The Plains Indians were nomadic, following buffalo and living in tepees, they spoke their own language, had tribal laws and governments, had own culture and ceremonies, and worshipped nature.
How were buffalo relied on?
Buffalo were relied on Native Americans for food and their tepees. White settlers reduced buffalo population and their presence restricted ability of Natives to follow herds.
How did Westwards expansion begin?
Fuelled by Manifest Destiny where white Americans felt entitlement to move west and settle continent. 1830 Removal Act sent Indians from Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Virginia etc to the Great Plains, Oklahoma. Routes to California and Oregon followed, left by mineral prospectors, in 1840s. People inspired by discovery of gold and minerals. Tribes displaced or denied of their fishing rights, taken behind Appalachian Mountains.
What inspired Fort Laramie Treaty?
Natives attacked homesteads and US army wagons so units sent in. 1851 Fort Laramie treaty reduced land owned by Native Americans and Sioux given north of Platte river. Intertribal rivalry was intended to decline with introduction of hunting lands and government would offer annual payment and gifts in return. Reservations introduced in 1850s. Bureau of Indian Affairs dealt with tribal affairs and was full of corruption.
What was the cause of the Plains Wars 1862-8? What treaties were signed in aftermath of plains wars?
The US government committed to feeding tribes but during Civil War they no longer did. This, alongside government withdrawing troops who traded with Natives at forts and replacing them with unsympathetic volunteers, resulted in Plains Wars 1862-68. 1867 Congress sets Peace Commission against wishes of army chiefs and blames plains wars on white settlers. Oct 1867 Medicine Lodge Treaty at Kansas gives Comanche, Arapaho, and Cheyenne lands in Western Oklahoma. 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty gives Sioux Black Hills of Dakota.
What was the 1864 Sand Creek massacre?
1864 Sand Creek Massacre saw US cavalry attack an undefended Cheyenne camp leading to deaths of children, men, and women. 1890 Wounded Knee saw 100 killed, including babies and the elderly.
What was the Homestead Act and how did railways harm Native Americans?
1862 Homestead Act inspired 20,000 settlers by 1865, with government offering 160-acre plots for free on condition they farmed it for five years. Railway development further hit Native Americans. The railway network would run coast to coast and they inspired settlers to live on land given by government. Rail lines also disrupted buffalo herds and brought white people to the region to hunt them. Many Native Americans died from starvation or suffered poverty.
What tribal culture was lost when reservations opened?
When reservations were introduced polygamy was abandoned, braves – warriors – could no longer demonstrate their skills, herbal remedies forbidden and tribal law abolished, communal living ended, power of tribal chief who headed tribes and presided over tribal courts ended,
What did off-reservation schools achieve?
Colonel Pratt in 1879 set Carlisle Indian Industrial School as a vocational training school where Indian children were taken from reservations and taught the English language and patriotism with Christian values instilled. Colonel Pratt created military style boarding school. During 8 years of education girls learned domestic skills and boys learned carpentry or masonry. Punishments were harsh with solitary confinement, beating, and bread/water diets. During 8 years of education three years were spent with white farming families. On leaving education some Indians became Indian Agent interpreters or were employed in Indian agency offices – most returned to reservations.
What was the Battle of Little Bighorn?
Great Sioux War – Cheyenne and Arapaho, alongside Sioux, looked to Sitting Bull’s leadership. Angered by poor supplies, advance of North Pacific Railroad and Colonel Custer’s gold expedition in Black Hills of Dakota in 1874 where army did nothing. Colonel Custer found camp at Bighorn River, Montana, where Indians moved in June 1876. Seventh Cavalry with Custer faced 2500 and were killed. Reno held out until US army units arrived and Sioux withdrew. Government deprived Sioux of food and Sitting Bull fled to Canada.
What was life on reservations like?
Life on reservations. Land unsuited to farming and government food supplies often didn’t appear. In 1880s drought hit crops and disease killed cattle. Many found handouts embarrassing and measles killed some while adapting to new life killed others. Whiskey was in greater availability and led to alcohol addiction. By 1900 100,000 of 240,000 Plains Indians from 1860 remained. US white settlers had Civil War experience and superior technology. Buffalo killed due to professional hunters like Buffalo Bill Cody and by railway construction workers for good. 1865 – 13 million buffalo, 1883 – 200 Buffalo in North
How did Navajo succeed?
Navajo succeeded on reservations, generating large numbers of sheep and goats, expanding the size of their reservation, and witnessing growth in numbers with 8000 in 1868 rising to 22,000 by 1900.
What was the 1887 Dawes Act?
Dawes Act 1887, tried to end tribal life. Act turned Native Americans into landowners on 160 acre allotments who paid tax and gained vote/full citizenship after 25 years but ignored their belief that land can’t be owned by individuals. White settlers took land when Native Americans were unable to farm it and the Natives couldn’t deal with the large sales, placing them further into poverty. Matriarchal tribes such as Iroquois and Cherokee saw women’s roles declined as men were the heads of family. By 1900, of 150 million acres recognised in 1887, 78 million remained.
How did Five Civilised Tribes try to resist Dawes Act?
Five Civilised Tribes (Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, and Seminole tribes), added to Dawes Act in 1898 with Curtis Act. Tried to combine lands and gain state of Sequoyah but lost 2 million. Cherokees challenged Congress in 1902 Cherokee Nation v Hitchcock and Lone Wolf v Hitchcock of 1903, which just gave government right to withdraw treaties. 90% of land lost.
How were tribes divided during Plains wars?
Tribe actions: Rivalries existed during the Plains Wars with tribes fighting each other. Tribes often supported federal government with guides to help them pursue other tribes.
