NATIVE AMERICANS AND THE GREAT PLAINS

Native Americans = first IMMIGRANTS-Bering Straits Land Bridge from ASIA (ASIATIC) during the ICE AGE

Characteristics:• NEO-LITHIC – Stone Age level of technology• ANIMISTIC – Nature based spiritual religion• COMMUNALISTIC – Tribe works together to survive• HUNTER-GATHERERS – Nomadic lifestyle; little farming

MANIFEST DESTINY!!!!! Native American’s pushed west to the GREAT PLAINS.

The GREAT PLAINS considered the GREAT AMERICAN DESERT. WHY?• Limited standing water• No Trees• Prairie Grass and thick sod = HARD TO PLOW

THE GREAT PLAINSIndians thrive on the Plains because of:

– BUFFALO (15 million or more)– The Horse (introduced by Spanish) allowed Indians to hunt

effectively

• Dozens of tribes shared the Plains and fought one another for control of hunting grounds

WHITES TAKE BACK THE GREAT PLAINS. WHY?

– Completion of TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD (1869) – Better FARMING methods (plow / windmill)– Discovery of GOLD in Indian territory

War on Native Americans

• The “INDIAN WARS” 1862-1890– Whites begin kicking Native Americans off the Plains– Indians are outnumbered and outgunned

• #1 TOOL TO DESTROY THE INDIANS:• Destruction of the Buffalo• Plains Indians needed the Buffalo for food, shelter, and

resources• Whites kill MILLIONS OF BUFFALO – by 1886 there are only

600 buffalo left. • Whites consider Indians “savage”, “primitive”, “hostile”, etc…

The End of the Native American Way of Life

• Reservation Policy – Indians forced onto RESERVATIONS. Reservations on the worst land (Oklahoma and South Dakota)

• The Battle of Little Big Horn a.ka. CUSTER’S LAST STAND: George Armstrong Custer– GOLD found on INDIAN LAND in the BLACK HILLS of South Dakota. – The Government decides to kick the Indians off the land!

• General George Armstrong Custer and his 7th Cavalry attack June of 1876. – Crazy Horse & Sitting Bull – Sioux leaders

• Custer and all of his 264 men are killed• The Nation is outraged and vows to crush all Indian tribes

“The only good Indian is a dead Indian” General Phil Sheridan

• AMERICANIZATION / ASSIMILATION• US government decides to force assimilation on the Indians

(AMERICANIZATION)Forcing Indians to live like white farmers. HOW?• INDIAN TRIBES ABOLISHED• BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) Supposed to help the

Indians– Indians never get tools or training– Land is stolen by Speculators (Corruption!)

• WOUNDED KNEE 1890: Last “battle” between INDIANS and WHITES. Indians MASSACRED by US Soldiers.