The West Indian Removal Act 1830 Land Greed

The West

Indian Removal Act (1830) Land Greed forces Indians off of their land � Destroys the Indian family unit �

Homestead Act (1862) � Gave land to those who lived on it for 5 years � People received 160 acres

Battle of Little Big Horn � General Custer defeated by Chief Sitting Bull � Often called “Custer’s Last Stand”

Populism � Populists were mostly farmers � Populists pushed for reforms Increased circulation of money Unlimited minting of Silver A progressive income tax Government ownership of communication and transportation An 8 -hour work day

Massacre at Sand Creek � Nov. 29, 1864 � Colorado Territory � Col. Militia attacks Cheyenne and Arapaho � Up to 170 killed, mostly women and children � Land was granted to Cheyenne and Arapaho by the Ft. Laramie Treaty (1851) � 1858, Gold discovered at Pikes Peak � US Col. John Chivington launched an attack on Cheyenne under a white flag. � After a series of battles that followed, Cheyenne hold on the west began to slip

� “ Damn any man who sympathizes with Indians!. . . I have come to kill Indians, and believe it is right and honorable to use any means under God's heaven to kill Indians. ” —- Col. John Milton Chivington, U. S. Army

Dawes Act / Dawes General Allotment Act � Feb. 8, 1887 � provided for the division of tribally held lands into individuallyowned parcels and opening "surplus" lands to settlement by non. Indians and development by railroads. � Dividing reservations

Battle of Wounded Knee � December 29, 1890 � US 7 th Cavalry vs. Lakota Sioux � Sioux captured and taken to an encampment � Colonel James Forsyth and surrounded the encampment supported by four Hotchkiss guns (repeating gun) � Massacred the prisoners.

� Spanish roots � Aztec prisoners used to manage and keep up with Spanish horses and cattle � 6 shooter � Foods, clothing, terms � 25% were Black Americans � Avg. age 17 � Move cattle from place to place � Chisholm Trail, Santé Fe Trail

Beef demands / Ranchers � Rise in demand of beef � Shipping by railroads � Barbed wire stopped long cattle drives Kept cattle off of crops and land Battles between “free grazers” and “ranchers” occur.