Frederick Jackson Turner
First to use term "frontier"
American frontier experience taught us democratic values
Freedom, strength, self reliance, etc
Frontier an aspect unique to American History
Appealing to foreigners
Belief in a Second Chance
Challenge of self-reliance
Pretends that American West was uninhabited
Turner does not mention difficulty of living, injustices, indecencies
Homesteaders need protection against Indians, military forts.
5 Important aspects of Plains Culture
Strong Understanding of Place
Knowledge of animals, plants
Efficient use of natural resources
Make Annual movements according to this pattern
Low Population and Population Control
Kept there numbers low during "lean years"
Infanticide
Kept pop. in limits of land.
Biodegradable Technology
Tools made from plains materials
Buffalo, Willow, Sage, Quartz, Obsidian
Land Management
Indians used land intensively
Buffer zones to tribes, so no hunting overlap
Non-Materialistic Society
Little emphasis placed on "things"
Nomadic, travel light
Ceremonial items are only exceptions
William Tecumseh Sherman assigned to West to work with Indians
"Only good Indian is a dead Indian."
Colorado Sand Creek Massacre: US kills 400 Native American women and children
Indians put on reservations
Led to uprisings
Sioux War
Apaches attack in Southwest
Geronimo
Helen Hunt
Wrote "A Century of Dishonor"
First person to write book cataloging America's broken promises to Native Americans
Daws Severity Act
Creates small reservation that allows for assimilation
Roots of conflict
Pushed Indians east, Whites go east
Tensions increase in 1870's
Indian Wars
Government creates treaties to end Indian Wars
Fort Laramie, '68, Lots of good territory for Sioux, Sioux Treaty
Whites move to Black hills, need mil. protection
Custer wants fame
Effective captain in Civil War
Anaconda Plan
Restricts Sioux's territory, response to Sioux's unwillingness to give up land
1. Gen. Terry Leads the Dakota Column, with Custer
2. Col. Gibbon leads MT Column
3. Gen Crook leads Wyoming
Meet at Little Bighorn
Custer is ambitious, scouts say lots of Sioux at little Bighorn
June, 1876
Underestimates number of Cheyenne and Sioux
Crook gets turned around by Crazy Horse
Custer believes if he is first there, gets all the credit
Restore reputation
Wants to be Presidential candidate
Battle of Little Bighorn
Less than 20 minutes
264 men versus 2500 Sioux
Leaves Heavy weapons
Light arms and swords
No white survivors
The news made it back to East in time for centennial
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