Chapter 3, Lesson 4 War in the West - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Chapter 3, Lesson 4War in the West

Mr. Julian’s 5th grade class

• What changes threatened the traditional way of life for the Native Americans?

• Black Hills

• Sitting Bull
• George Custer
• Crazy Horse
• Chief Joseph
• Geronimo

• Reservation
• Battle of Little Bighorn

• As more pioneers moved west this led to conflict with the Native American people already living there.
• They felt that their traditional way of life was being threatened.

• The U.S. government was determined to support the new settlers.
• At first the government offered the Native Americans money and goods.
• The Native Americans did not value those things.

• The next step the government tried was to send the Native Americans to reservations, an area of land set aside for Native Americans.
• The government used military force to make sure the Native Americans in fact moved.

• Most Native American tribes realized that they were not powerful enough to defeat the U.S. Army so they left their land for the reservations.
• In 1868, the Lotoka signed a treaty that gave them the land in the Black Hills region of South Dakota and Wyoming.

• In 1874, gold was found in the Black Hills.
• The government asked the Lokota to move again.
• Sitting Bull refused to sell his land.

• The U.S. sent the 7th Cavalry, led by Col. George Custer, to defeat the Lakota.
• Sitting Bull and the Lakota were camped along the river Little Bighorn.
• Crazy Horse, one of the most successful warriors, was also in the camp.

• Custer found the Lakota on June 25.
• Custer was badly outnumbered but he decided to attack anyway.
• Crazy Horse led the Lakota’s to a victory at the Battle of Little Bighorn.

• This battle is known as “Custer’s Last Stand” as he was killed along with his entire unit of 200 soldiers.
• Little Bighorn will be remembered for two reasons:

1. It was the biggest victory Native Americas won over the U.S.

• The second reason was it led to the end of all Native American’s freedom
• The loss led the government to take stronger measures to defeat the Native Americans
• By the end of 1877, Crazy Horse and the Lakota were forced into reservations.
• Sitting Bull escaped to Canada

• The tribe of the Nez Perce lived in Oregon.
• The government decided the Nez Perce should of move to a reservation in Idaho.
• The Nez Perce, led by Chief Joseph, decided to flee to Canada.

• The U.S. Army chased the Nez Perce during the entire 1,600 mile journey.
• Running low on food and supplies the U.S. Army surrounded the Nez Perce, just 40 miles from Canada.
• Chief Joseph surrendered, telling the army that he was tired of fighting…

• The last tribe to fight for their freedom was the Apache, led by Geronimo.
• Geronimo led a group of warriors into the mountains in Mexico.
• Geronimo was finally captured in 1886 saying “Once I moved like the wind. Now I surrender to you and that is all.”

• The last major conflict between the U.S. and the Native Americans took place in 1890.
• A group of Lakota decided to leave the reservation and were captured at Wounded Knee, South Dakota.

• While most families were turning over their weapons, a shot was fired.
• The U.S. Army began to return fire, killing about 300 Lakota.
• This marked the end of the wars between the U.S. and the Native Americans.

• Today, Native Americans have won court cases giving them control of their reservations.
• Both on and off the reservations, Native Americans have kept their traditions alive.
• Young people are learning their native language.
• Today, film makers continue to tell stories about Native American’s way of life.

• What changes threatened the way of life for Native Americans?
• Why was the Battle of Little Bighorn important?