The End of the Indians Way of Life Flashcards
How many buffalo were there by 1840 and how many were left by 1890?
There were millions of buffalo by 1840 and there were 200 left by 1890.
What did the destruction of the buffalo lead to?
The destruction of the Indian way of life
How and why were the buffalo killed by the whites?
Railroads used hunters to kill the buffalo to feed construction workers, they were killed by tourists for sport, and buffalo hides were made into leather goods.
What was life like for the Indians on reservations?
The idea was to stop Indians from opposing manifest destiny by forcing them to live like whites,
The reservation land was infertile & made survival difficult,
The government appointed Indian agents to look after reservations but they were corrupt,
Money/rations for Indians disappeared,
Many Indians died from diseases,
Indian Agency Police controlled reservations,
Tribal chiefs lost power to lead tribes, eg no longer signed treaties,
Indian children are taught white values in school,
No dances/ceremonies,
Forced to practice Christianity,
No hunting or horses,
Indians were dependant on handouts.
What was the Dawes Act of 1887?
The Dawes Act gave the Indians land that was on reservations to farms. The aim was to break up tribes & reduce the power of chiefs, making Indians individuals and forcing them to farm.
What was the significance of the Dawes Act?
The Indians lost more land,
Indians sold their own land,
Unsuccessful farmers as the land was so bad,
The whites cheated Indians out of land,
USA had complete control of the West.
