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1834
The federal government had passed an act that designated the entire Great Plains as one enormous reservation, or land set aside for Native American tribes. -
1850's
The government changed its policy and created treaties that defined specific boundaries for each tribe. -
Sand Creek Massacre
One of the most tragic events occurred this day. Most of the Cheyenne, assuming they were under the protection of the U.S. government, had peacefully returned to Colorado's Sand Creek Reserve for the winter. Army commander General S. R. Curtis wanted no peace with the Indians so the Sand Creek Massacre broke out. It killed over 150 inhabitants, mostly women and children. -
Fetterman Massacre
The warrior Crazy Horse ambushed Captain William J. Fetterman and his company at lodge Trail Ridge. Over 80 soldiers were killed. Native Americans called this fight the Battle of the hundred Slain. Whites called it the Fetterman Massacre. -
Treaty of Fort Laramie
The Treaty of Fort Laramine, in which the Sioux agreed to live on a reservation along the Missouri River, was forced on the leaders of the Sioux. Sitting Bull never signed it. Although the Ogala and Brule Sioux did sign the treaty, they expected to continue using their traditional hunting grounds.In late 1868, war broke out yet again as the Kiowa and Comanche engaged in 6 years of raiding that finally led to the Red River War of 1874-1875. Government closed Bozeman trail. -
Gold Rush
Miners began searching the Black Hills for gold. The Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho protested the encroachment on their lands to no avail. Colonel George A. Custer declared the Black Hills have gold, "From the grass roots down" so a gold rush was on. -
Red River War
The Red River War broke out this year. The U.S. Army responded by herding the people of friendly tribes onto reservations while opening fire on all others. General Philip Sheridan gave orders to "destroy their villages and ponies, to kill and hang all warriors, and to bring back all women and children." the army crushed resistance on the southern plains. -
Little Big Horn
The Sioux and Cheyenne held a sun dance, during which Sitting Bull had a vision of soldiers and some Native Americans falling from their horses. They Indians were ready for Colonel Custer's troops and him when they arrived to Little Bighorn River. Crazy Horse, Gall, and Sitting Bull led their troops and crushed Custer's troops. By late 1876, however, the Sioux were beaten. -
Dawes Act
Congress passed the Dawes Act aiming to 'Americanize" the Native Americans. The act broke up the reservations and gave some of the reservation land to individual Native Americans - 160 acres to each head of household and 80 acres to each unmarried adult. The government would sell the remainder of the reservations to settlers & the resulting income would be used by Native Americans to buy farm implements. -
Wounded Knee
The Seventh Cavalry - Custer's old regiment - rounded up about 350 starving and freezing Sioux & took them to a camp at Wounded Knee Creek in SD. The soldiers demanded that the Native Americans give up all their weapons the next day. Then, a shot was fired, not clear from which side. The soldiers open fired. Within minutes, the Seventh Cavalry slaughtered as many as 300 mostly unarmed Native Americans. The soldiers left the corpes on the ground.
