What made the Indians go on the Warpath?
Land Was Taken –The gold rush came in 1848 and the railway was built in 1860
white settlers took over the Indian’s land. With this disease was brought with
the white Americans and on to the plains.
The Buffalo Was Killed - Indians used buffalo to survive but in 1867 to 1869 the
white Americans cut off their buffalo supply by killing most of them.
The Treaties Were Broken - Trials were put through the Indians land, which broke
the Fort Laramie Treaty in 1851. The gold rush caused the 1868 treaty to be
broken even though the Indians were promised to have that land to them self.
Insensitive Army Officers - Army officers annoyed and pushed the Indians to war.
One of the first wars was over the officers teaching the Indians a lesson after
arguing with the white Americans in 1858.
The Reservations - Conditions in the reservations were poor and could not hunt;
also they could not farm on the land.
Little Crows War- it was started in 1862 because the Indians were being starved in the reservations. In 1863 the Cheyenne rising happened because Black Kettle’s tribe were forced to live on poor land so that the Americans could have the better land. The Dawes Act was created in 1887 and made he Indians live on ever smaller and poorer land, this caused the final battle and Wounded Knee.
Amy Paxford