unit 2 - development of the plains Flashcards
Describe the events and consequences of Little Crow’s War in 1862:
Events:
- Little Crow was the chief of the Santee Sioux living in Minnesota on a reservation.
- In 1861 when crops failed and annuities from the government did not arrive - starvation occured.
- Little Crow then attacked the agency running the reservation in protest.
- But by October, most Santee had surrendered and 38 were executed.
Consequences:
- The Santee Sioux were then moved to a smaller reservation (Crow Creek)
- Its barren landscape caused many deaths during the first winter.
Describe the events and consequences of the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864:
Events:
- The Cheyenne on the Sand Creek reservation were starving due to crop failures.
- Led by their chief (Black Kettle), they attacked wagons to steal food and resources but did not harm any travellers.
- After 3 years of attacks, he negotiated with the governement
- However, on the 29th November 1864, Colonel Chivington led a dawn raid on their camp
Consequences:
- More than 150 Indians were massacred even though they waved a white flag.
Describe the events and consequences of Red Clouds war in 1866-68:
Events:
- The Bozeman Trail (established by John Bozeman) connected the Oregon Trail to the gold found in Montana (where the Lakota Sioux resided)
- The Bozeman Trail broke the Fort Laramie Treaty (1851)
- Red Cloud (chief of the Lakota Sioux) led attacks on the trail travellers
- On the 21st December 1866, Captain Fetterman and 80 other soldiers were massacred by the Sioux
Consequences:
- The US Army then negotiated a second Fort Laramie Treaty (1868).
What did the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 state?
- The government agreed to abandon three forts and the Bozeman Trail.
- Red Cloud agrees to move his tribe to a reservation stretching the Black Hills of Dakota to the Missouri River.
- Both parties agree to this, however, some of the Indians did not and they joined other tribes led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse who now had more power than Red Cloud (Red Cloud did live a peaceful rest of his life on the reservation which is why his power had decreased).
What was the Goodnight-Loving Trail?
Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving created a trail because of the new market for Texan cattle.
The trail started up to Fort Sumner, then extended up to Colorado and Wyoming (where the first ranch was) and then to the Union Pacific Railroad.
The success of the trail meant that more cattlemen drove cattle to Wyoming and the cattle ranches there began to grow.
What did John Iliff do?
He used the plains for a huge open ranch stretching from Colorado to Wyoming. He then sold the beef to mining towns, teams building the Union Pacific Railroad and the government for Plains Indians.
Why was Abilene significant?
Abilene was the first cow town created due to Joseph McCoy.
Abilene played a major role in the transport of cattle.
It was were most cowboys would end their journeys and they would then go to saloons etc.
What was the ‘Beef Bonanza’?
As there was such a large growth in ranching on the plains it was a sure way to make money. The costs were low and profits were high.
As a result investors put alot of money into the cattle industry which caused a boom in the demand for beef.
