Native American Persecutionand Resistance

• Indian Removal Act (1830s) - Forced tribes in the Southeast to move west of the Mississippi River to Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma)

• After Indian wars, forced to move to reservations – cycle of poverty and despair

• Forced to give up hunting, religious practices• Children rounded up and taken to Indian

boarding schools to assimilate children into the “white man”• Whites were killing off buffalo herds for sport or

hides – nearly drove them extinct

The Ghost DanceAncient religious ritual hoping to regain their spirit

Forbidden by US government. Feared it would lead to armed insurrection. Led to massacre at Wounded Knee when US cavalry kill 250 Native Americans, mostly women and children

The Massacre at Wounded Knee

Native American Reservations Today

Native American Resistance• Following conflict between Dakota tribe and

Minnesota settlers, U.S. military captures 300 warriors and executes 39. Largest public hanging in American history.

• Sioux crushed American troops under General George Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn. Not a singe soldier survived.

Dakota Warriors Hanging

Battle of Little Bighorn

Custer’s Last Stand

• Nez Perce’ of Northwest forced to leave their lands for reservation

• Unhappy warriors attack white settlements• Chief Joseph leads a 1,000 mile fighting retreat

toward Canada• Outnumbered 10 to 1, but won many battles• Considered one of the great military actions in

American history.• Eventually forced to surrender

“I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed…. thelittle children are freezing to death….Hear me, mychiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. Fromwhere the sun now stands I will fight no moreforever.” Chief Joseph 1877

The Dawes Act

*Sought to assimilate NativeAmericans into culture ofAmerican society.*Govt. divided up reservationland into privately owned plots.*Gave N.A. opportunity to become American citizensif they gave up their tribal association.*Act failed – N.A. lost 50% of their land.