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Conflict with the Plains Indians - Coggle Diagram
Conflict with the Plains Indians
1876
The Battle of Little Bighorn
Causes
General Custer was sent to protect the railroad builders
He found gold in Dakota
Prospectors staked their claims
The US Government offered to buy the Black Hills for $6 million or $400,000 a year for the mineral rights
the Sioux refused
December 1875, Sioux were given 60 days to return to their reservation or be attacked
However deep snow made it impossible to travel
Events
By Spring, 7000 Indians ready for war
Custer's cavalry was defeated
225 men were killed
Consequences
Before, public opinion favoured trying to come to a peaceful agreement with the Indians
after, white people wanted to destroy the Indians and their way of life
2500 reinforcements were sent west and 2 forts were built
The Cheyenne and Sioux were pursued until most were in reservations
Crazy was killed and later killed trying to escape
Sitting Bull moved his tribe to Canada however returned after food shortages and surrendered
Sioux were forced to sell the Black Hills and give up their horses, weapons and live under military rule
1890
The Wounded Knee Massacre
The Ghost Dance
Sioux rations cut + drought meant failed crops
An Indian had a vision that if they danced the great spirit would bring back the dead and a great flood would carry white people away
US army moved in to stop them - worried the Indian Agency
Sitting Bull killed
His followers fled south to join the band of Big Foot
Events
Snow and Pneumonia slowed Big Foot's band down until the army caught them
Taken to Wounded Knee Creek
Indians started dancing and shooting broke out
250 Indians were dead
25 soldiers killed
Consequence
End of Indian resistance
End of the Ghost Dance
End of the Indian Frontier: all of America belonged to the US
Last clash between the Sioux and the US army
1866-68
Red Cloud's War
Causes
Bozeman trail connected the Oregon Trail to gold in Montana
Trail broke the first Fort Laramie Treaty (it crossed the hunting grounds)
Red Cloud led attacks on travellers on the Bozeman Trail
Red Cloud stormed out of peace talks when he learned of 2 new forts being built along the trail
Events
Fetterman's Trap
Captain William Fetterman and 80 soldiers were massacred by the Sioux in a trap
Red Cloud was successful because he joined forces with other Sioux tribes led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse + some Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes
Consequences
2nd Fort Laramie Treaty
US agrees to abandons 3 forts and the Bozeman trail
Red Cloud agrees to move his tribe to a new reservation from the Black Hills of Dakota to the Missouri River
Indians are split onto reservations so find it harder to act together
1864
1862
Little Crow's War
Causes
Bad harvests
failed payments from the government
12,000 starving Santee Sioux
Events
Little Crow led an attack on the Indian Agency
700 whites killed
Little Crow failed to
Consequences
US army sent reinforcements
By September, Little Crow realised he couldn't win and surrendered
2000 Santee Sioux killed
Sand Creek Massacre
Causes
Cheyenne on Sand Creek reservation starving after crop failures
Led by Black Kettle, looted wagon trains for food ( didn't harm travellers)
After 3 years of attacks, Black Kettle negotiated with government
Events
Colonel Chivington led a dawn raid on their camp
more than 150 Indians were killed and mutilated
Indians flew white flags
Consequences
Black Kettle escaped and informed others
The US condemned Chivington but failed to punish him (he was retired)