The End Of The Plains Indians Flashcards
how did the number of buffalo fall from 1840 to 1885?
1840 - 13 million
1885 - 200
why did buffalo numbers fall so significantly?
construction of railroads, settlement and disease
how was buffalo hunted for sport?
special excursion trains were run so that people could go out and shoot buffalo for sport
why did the price of buffalo hide increase?
in 1871 an eastern tannery discovered a process to produce high quality leather from buffalo hides
when had the southern herd been destroyed by?
1875
when had the northern herd been destroyed by?
1883
what were buffalo bones used for?
fertiliser, buttons, combs and knife handles
when was the reservation system introduced?
1825 onwards
what was the aim of reservations?
to keep indians apart from homesteaders and ranchers
how did indian rights deteriorate on reservations?
by 1870’s the indians were virtually prisoners and conditions were bad
how did the indians become dependant on the government?
they relied on the government for food because the land was so poor they could not grow their own
how was indian territorial culture destroyed?
government reduced the size of the sioux reservation and split them up into smaller groups - could no longer be nomadic
how was indian political culture destroyed?
in 1885 indians lost all power to punish members of their band
1887 dawes act broke communal reservation land into plots so indians became self sufficient
how was indian economic culture destroyed?
banned to hunt buffalo meant they could not make money by selling it
how was indian religion destroyed?
feasts, dances and ceremonies were banned
power of medicine men undermined
