Indian Wars

1865 - 1890

Indians - Barrier to Westward Expansion

Attitudes toward Indians changed after 1865

1st - Placed on Reservations

2nd - Extermination

The more (Indians) we kill this year,

the less that we will have to kill next year.

William T. Sherman

The only good Indian is a dead Indian.

George Armstrong Custer

Winter Campaigning

(est. by: Gen. Philip Sheridan)

Attacked During Winter (Indians in small groups)

Burned Teepees and Blankest

Runoff or Kill Horses

Killed Buffalo (Indian food and shelter)

Killed Men, Women, and Children

Sioux Wars

1868 - Chief Red Cloud given - current day North and South Dakota

1874 - Gold discovered - Black Hills of S. Dakota

Results:

Custer vs. Sitting Bull

Little Big Horn

Created Anti-Indian Attitudes

Northwest Indian Wars

Modoc Indians - Captain Jack

1877 Nez Perce

Chief Joseph vs. O.O. Howard

Removed because of Gold

Howard pursued Joseph for 1700 miles

Stopped 30 miles short of Canada

From where the sun now stands,

I will fight no more forever.

Chief Joseph

Southwest Indian Wars

1881-1886

Cochise from Arizona

Geronomo from New Mexico

Placed Indians of conflicting interest on the same reservation.

End of Indian Wars

1885 - only 1,000 Buffalo remained

1887 - Daws Act - bill passed by Congress designed

            to end tribal life and convert Indians to

            white mans ways.

1890 - Wounded Knee - Sioux Indians

Causes: 

Broken Government promises

Indian values were eroded

Chiefs replaced by government appointments

Ghost Dance - Wovoka

Predicted Messiah

All whites would be removed

Dead Indians would rise and the buffalo would return.

Results:

Big Foote becomes leader believed magic shirts would protect them

170 Indians Dead  

29 soldiers Dead

Reservations:

1873 - 150,000

1887 - 138,000

1934 -   52,000

Return to Main Page   /   Go to notes on Railroads