Native Americans – Key Dates, Figures/Groups, Stats, Acts and Case Studies:
1862 – Start of Plains Wars
Homestead Act passed which encouraged even more movement to the West. This obviously
negatively affected NAs.
1864 – Sand Creek Massacre was a surprise attack on Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians. Around 160
men, women and children were killed.
1865 – Position of NAs already under threat due to westward expansion as American governments
had encouraged settlers to move west to open up the rest of the growing population due to a
belief in Manifest Destiny.
Building of rail lines across the countries disrupted buffalo herds and brought many white
people to come and hunt them. Saw a dramatic fall in buffalo numbers having a further
impact on NA lives.
Reservation policies prevented NAs from moving freely and pursuing buffalo herds. It forced
polygamy to be abandoned, NA warriors couldn’t demonstrate skills, tribal laws were
abolished and the power of the tribal chief was ended.
Approximately 20,000 people had settled on the Plains by this point.
1867 – End of Plains Wars
Medicine Lodge Treaty relegated the Cheyenne to lands south of Fort Larned
1868 – Fort Laramie Treaty recognised the Black Hills as part of the Sioux Reservation, set aside
exclusively for use by the Sioux people.
1871 – Right for NAs to determine what happened with their land was lost and Congress was given
power to decide on setting up reservation and relocating tribes. Estimated some 90% of land
allocated to them was lost.
The government had given out 155 million acres of land in the last 21 years, thus depriving
NAs of large tracts of land.
Gilded Age (1875-96):
- Navajo tribe made gains of land to some 10.5 million acres from 4 million. Sheep and goats
possessed rose from 15,000 to 1.7 million.
- Women in tribes that had a matriarchal structure lost their status following the allotment
policy. Land was given to the male head.
1876 – Battle of Little Bighorn was a Native American victory where George Custer was defeated.
However, the approach of reducing the size of reservation continued after this.
1877 – Report by agent of the Yankton Sioux suggested that the American government was already
attempted to force NAs to assimilate into society. Supposed to happen through education,
conversion to Christianity, turning NAs into farmers and establishing government
reservations (designated lands for NAs to occupy as part of treaties. Boundaries later imposed
by Congress).
1880s – A drought hit crops and disease killed many of the cattle NAs had. Ofte now forced to
depend on the government for food supplies, which often failed to appear. It was humiliating
for many of them.
1883 – Religious Crimes Code banned Native dances and ceremonies.
1887 – Dawes Severalty Act divided up reservations into plots or allotments (allotment policy) given
to NAs. As a result, they now owned land which gave them full rights of citizenship but they
now had to pay tax, further undermining their position and ignored idea that land belong to
all creatures, not individuals. Also saw a decline in land held by NAs as much was bought by
white settlers when NAs were unable to farm it and the money they received was often
mismanaged, leading them further into debt. Land also given to the men, undermining
position of NA women, some of which were the leaders (e,g, Cherokee Tribe)
1890 – Wounded Knee Massacre was an incident where cavalry killed over 100 Native American
men, woman and children.
1898 – Curtis Act ended the exemption of the Five Civilised Tribes from the Dawes Act. Tribe
1862 – Start of Plains Wars
Homestead Act passed which encouraged even more movement to the West. This obviously
negatively affected NAs.
1864 – Sand Creek Massacre was a surprise attack on Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians. Around 160
men, women and children were killed.
1865 – Position of NAs already under threat due to westward expansion as American governments
had encouraged settlers to move west to open up the rest of the growing population due to a
belief in Manifest Destiny.
Building of rail lines across the countries disrupted buffalo herds and brought many white
people to come and hunt them. Saw a dramatic fall in buffalo numbers having a further
impact on NA lives.
Reservation policies prevented NAs from moving freely and pursuing buffalo herds. It forced
polygamy to be abandoned, NA warriors couldn’t demonstrate skills, tribal laws were
abolished and the power of the tribal chief was ended.
Approximately 20,000 people had settled on the Plains by this point.
1867 – End of Plains Wars
Medicine Lodge Treaty relegated the Cheyenne to lands south of Fort Larned
1868 – Fort Laramie Treaty recognised the Black Hills as part of the Sioux Reservation, set aside
exclusively for use by the Sioux people.
1871 – Right for NAs to determine what happened with their land was lost and Congress was given
power to decide on setting up reservation and relocating tribes. Estimated some 90% of land
allocated to them was lost.
The government had given out 155 million acres of land in the last 21 years, thus depriving
NAs of large tracts of land.
Gilded Age (1875-96):
- Navajo tribe made gains of land to some 10.5 million acres from 4 million. Sheep and goats
possessed rose from 15,000 to 1.7 million.
- Women in tribes that had a matriarchal structure lost their status following the allotment
policy. Land was given to the male head.
1876 – Battle of Little Bighorn was a Native American victory where George Custer was defeated.
However, the approach of reducing the size of reservation continued after this.
1877 – Report by agent of the Yankton Sioux suggested that the American government was already
attempted to force NAs to assimilate into society. Supposed to happen through education,
conversion to Christianity, turning NAs into farmers and establishing government
reservations (designated lands for NAs to occupy as part of treaties. Boundaries later imposed
by Congress).
1880s – A drought hit crops and disease killed many of the cattle NAs had. Ofte now forced to
depend on the government for food supplies, which often failed to appear. It was humiliating
for many of them.
1883 – Religious Crimes Code banned Native dances and ceremonies.
1887 – Dawes Severalty Act divided up reservations into plots or allotments (allotment policy) given
to NAs. As a result, they now owned land which gave them full rights of citizenship but they
now had to pay tax, further undermining their position and ignored idea that land belong to
all creatures, not individuals. Also saw a decline in land held by NAs as much was bought by
white settlers when NAs were unable to farm it and the money they received was often
mismanaged, leading them further into debt. Land also given to the men, undermining
position of NA women, some of which were the leaders (e,g, Cherokee Tribe)
1890 – Wounded Knee Massacre was an incident where cavalry killed over 100 Native American
men, woman and children.
1898 – Curtis Act ended the exemption of the Five Civilised Tribes from the Dawes Act. Tribe
