War on the Plains - Western Expansion

War on the Plains

Brief overview of reading:

Indian Removal Act

• Native Americans promised land in the Great Plains

• Whites pushing into Indian Territory

• Small wars occured

• Policy for food and supplies put forced, maintained by U.S. Army

• Buffalo (food) and land dissapearing, forced onto reservations

The Battle of the Little Big Horn

Little Big Horn River

River where the most famous battle was fought, where several thousand Sioux and Cheyenne were camped at.

Sioux = "sue"

They were forced out of their old lands, so this is where they ended up.

Found gold in the Black Hills (Dakota Territory)

Led to 15,000 settlers invading the land in search of gold - the government demanded the Sioux to leave.

George Custer

A leader of the Sioux, Wolf Necklace, said "I never want to leave this country. All of my relatives are lying here in the ground, and when I fall to pieces I am going to fall to pieces here."

The army forced them out - so when they found them at the Little Big Horn River, they waited for reinforcements to deal with them.

What do you think is going to happen?

Poll

What will happen next?

• The Sioux and Cheyenne will find and attack them.

• Custer's army leaves the area.

• The tribes will leave peacefully.

• Custer and his men attack as soon as they find them.

The Battle Begins

On Sight

Custer sees the tribes

As soon as he sees them, he immediately attacks them.

Custer splits his troops up.

Poll

Who is going to win?

• Sioux and Cheyenne

• Custer and his army

Massacre

Remember, it is thousands again 260 - Custer and his army all die.

Angry whites send the army after them for months, and the tribes are tracked down and forced onto reservations.

Dropdown

Congress will ignore the previous treaties they made. They took the Black Hills and ​

Select answer

million acres of land from the Sioux.

Dawes Act

Congress passed an act that said tribes could no longer own reservation lands as a group - instead, each family was granted a plot of land that it could own or sell.

Most of the land given to them was not good for farming.

Poll

If the land is not good for farming, do you think they will keep the land?

• Yes, they will keep and own the land.

• No, they will sell the land.

Reorder

The process of the Sioux losing their land.

• Were forced by the army onto reservations

• Sioux land was taken away from them

• The Dawes Act took away their rights to own lands as a group

• Families now either would keep or sell their land

• Selling their land would lead to cultural assimilation

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Open Ended

The definition of assimilation is "the process of becoming similar to something" - why would the option of keeping or selling land eventually lead to cultural assimilation? Take some time to write down your thoughts.

Dairy Prompt

Read the following quote by General George Crook:

“I do not wonder that when these Indians see their wives and children starving they go to war, and when we are sent out to kill. It is an outrage.”

Which side do you think he is supporting: the Native Americans or the settlers/U.S. government? What makes you think that?