The Plains Indians had a tough life. They were abandoned from their lands by white settlers over and over again. Losing their culture, losing their main food source, and losing many lives. They experienced hunger, racism and war and are now one of the most important icons of the American Culture.
When the Europeans first entered the Plains, they had a peaceful relationship, but with the American expansion, the Plains Indians lost many of their population and also their land and resources. Emigrants putting their bison away, Oregon trail taking land of the Plains Indians, diseases which they brought with them. A series of wars took place from the beginning of the European settlements until the late 19th century, known as the American Indian wars.
We will take a closer look on the things happening between 1840 and 1876.
Plains Indians: often imagined as the typical American Indians, riding on horseback with a feather and communicating in sign language, were the Native Americans living in the Great Plains of North America.
The Great Plains is a vast grassland spreading from Texas to the south of Canada, between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains, covering almost 800km east to west and 4,800 km north to south. Its an incredible landscape with herds of buffaloes. (“Plains Indian”)
In 1778 Thomas Jefferson had the idea of exploring the Great West and later chose Lewis to do the expedition with. He sent the proposition to the congress who then approved it. Lewis chose William Clarke as an associate. However, the journals have a lack of information about the geography, anthropology and even more. Maybe because their expedition was largely made by water and rather by land. Zebulon M. Pike made the next expedition in July 15, 180 and took horses to not only see the water but more the landscape. People also started naming the Great Plains the Great American Desert, seeing the region as a desert because it was sparsely populated. It also was quite unexplored until not only Lewis and Clark, but also Pike went on an expedition. In fact, before that, Colonel Richard Irving once said in his book The Hunting Grounds of the Great West: ”when I was a schoolboy my map of the United States showed between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains a long and broad white blotch, upon which was printed in small capitals “THE GREAT AMERICAN DESERT – UNEXPLORED”. The expedition whetted the appetite to learn more about the land.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Tribes
3. Culture and Religion
4. The Indian problem
5. The Indian wars
5.1 1. The Dakota war
5.2 2. The six-shooter
5.3 2. Homestead Movement
5.4 3. Sand Creek massacre
5.5 4. Red Cloud war
5.6 5. Red River war
5.7 6. Black Hills / Little Bighorn
6. Indian Act
7. Conclusion
Research Goal and Focus Areas
This work examines the hardships, cultural transformation, and conflicts experienced by the Plains Indians during the period of 1840 to 1876 as they faced expansionism and displacement by white settlers.
- The impact of American westward expansion on Native American populations and resources.
- The cultural and spiritual significance of the buffalo and horse in Plains Indian life.
- The shift in government policy from treaty-based relations to the "Indian problem" and assimilation.
- The military engagements and structural disadvantages faced by tribes during the American Indian wars.
Excerpt from the Book
The Indian problem
European settlers began wanting to move westwards where the Indians were placed. It was obvious that the Indians would not leave willingly. The federal government named this the “Indian problem”. Therefore, the US government signed hundreds of treaties with US supreme court decisions with Indian nations and passed laws to define their relation. After losing several lands, in 1871, the US government ended these treaties, the Indians had no power to contest and there was no trustworthiness left.
When California became a state in 1850, the Indians were in minority. The Californians were afraid of the Indians that they might attack them, so they wanted to protect the white settlers. The Indians were never accepted as citizens in California and they started to legalize Indian slavery and denied Indians equal protection under the law. This Act for the Government and Protection of Indians was approved on April 18, 1860. (Gayle, “Public Efforts to Eliminate the Indian Problem”)
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the difficult historical context of the Plains Indians, highlighting the decline of their population and land access due to colonial expansion.
Tribes: Provides an overview of various Native American nations and their geographic dispersion across the Great Plains.
Culture and Religion: Details the importance of hunting and the spiritual belief system centered around the "Great Spirit" and the natural world.
The Indian problem: Describes the federal government's shift in policy, moving from treaties to discriminatory legislation and marginalization.
The Indian wars: Analyzes the sequence of armed conflicts, advancements in weaponry, and the forced displacement of tribes onto reservations.
Indian Act: Explores the 1876 legislative efforts to force assimilation upon the Native populations to mirror Euro-Canadian lifestyles.
Conclusion: Summarizes the systematic sacrifice and loss of property, rights, and autonomy endured by the Plains Indians throughout the 19th century.
Keywords
Plains Indians, Great Plains, American Indian wars, Westward expansion, Sioux, Cheyenne, Reservations, Indian Act, Colonization, Buffalo, Assimilation, Red Cloud, Little Bighorn, Sand Creek Massacre, Sovereignty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this document?
The document focuses on the experiences of the Plains Indians between 1840 and 1876, specifically detailing their conflict with white settlers and the subsequent loss of their land and culture.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Central themes include the impact of the Oregon Trail and Homestead Act, the role of military weapons in conflicts, the shift of U.S. government policy toward Native American nations, and the eventual forced assimilation.
What is the main historical objective of the author?
The goal is to illustrate how systemic pressure, legislative acts, and military superiority led to the erosion of Native American societal structures and their eventual confinement to reservations.
What methodology is used to present these findings?
The work utilizes a historical narrative approach, relying on past academic journals, historical treaties, and documented accounts of the U.S.-Dakota war and other engagements.
What content is covered in the main section?
The main part covers the cultural lifestyle of tribes, the designation of the "Indian problem" by the government, individual wars like the Dakota and Red River wars, and the geopolitical impact of the six-shooter weapon.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Plains Indians, assimilation, reservation, Western expansion, Indian Act, and the American Indian wars.
What significance did the six-shooter hold in these conflicts?
The six-shooter, invented by Samuel Colt, provided a critical military advantage to the Texas Rangers and white settlers, allowing them to overcome traditional Native American defensive tactics.
How were the Black Hills used in the struggle between the U.S. government and the tribes?
The Black Hills were sought for gold mining, leading to intense conflict after Red Cloud and other leaders refused to sell the territory, culminating in the Battle of Little Bighorn.
What was the outcome of the 1876 Indian Act?
The 1876 Indian Act aimed to force assimilation, requiring Native Americans to adopt Euro-Canadian lifestyles and controlling their legal rights and status.
How does the author describe the decline of the Plains Indians' food supply?
The decline of the food supply is attributed to agricultural settling, the construction of railroads, and the large-scale killing of buffalo, which were essential to the tribes' survival.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2020, Plains Indians between 1840 and 1876, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1421435
