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Unit 3 Americans in the Great Plains

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U.S. fearful of French control of New Orleans Jefferson used diplomacy with threat of war Setup Lewis and Clark to determine military installments in Louisiana Area Napoleon ends up selling Louisiana for $15 Million (1803) Needed cash for war against Britain Could not defend it well without Santo- Dominque or Florida

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Actually illegal Flora and Fauna Reconnaissance of Spanish troops/forts Gauging the potential for the fur trade King-Making Stop intertribal warfare Overall potential of the area

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Word got out about the abundance of fur bearing animals Prior to Lewis and Clarks return Individuals sought to capitalize on the fur trade potential Manuel Lisa A Spaniard with experience in the fur trade Set out in 1808 and built Fort Manuel in present-day Montana First fort by U.S. company Little success due to opposition of the Blackfeet Too loyal to Canadian companies

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1823 the Arikara killed about a dozen trappers along the Missouri River Part of the blockade to prevent the Dakota from getting from arms A month later the U.S. army organized individuals under Colonel Henry Leavenworth to retaliate 230 soldiers, 750 Dakotas, and 50 trappers They defeated the Arikara 1830s smallpox almost wiped the Arikara completely out

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In 1824 Secretary of War John C. Calhoun creates this new idea Selected transitional lands in order to help displaced eastern Indians Wanted them to continue farming Reduce the financial burden for the federal government

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Expeditions in 1832 and 1833 Failed to contact and pacify the southern plains Indians after William Bucknell laid out the Santa Fe Trail in early 1820s Tried to reduce Indian raids against trading traffic along the route Dodges third attempt in 1834 also failed to accomplish much Thirty Cherokee, Delaware, Osage, and Seneca volunteers served as guides and hunters

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All departed Fort Gibson and made contact with the Comanche and Wichita but accomplish very little A fever broke out among Dodges men Many died and the Indians were not impressed The Santa Fe Trail remained a dangerous trading through the rest of its history

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Nathaniel Boone was born in Kentucky in 1781 Youngest son of legendary frontiersman Daniel Boone Much of his early career centered around being a surveyor, trapper, hunter and soldier In 1805 opened a salt-making business in Boonville Used road for traveling and supplies called the Boones Lick Road A Major thoroughfare in early Missouri Later sold that business for a career in surveying and helped set up many of Missouris first Roads Part of first Constitutional Convention in Missouri in 1820

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Most famous as a captain in the War of 1812 for the Missouri Rangers 1833 made captain of the Dragoons, a military regiment from Oklahoma Played role in surveying land for Creek and Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma Also looked for salt deposits to exploit throughout the western territories By 1834, his sons had begun acquiring land in current location of Ash Grove, Missouri Nathaniel and his wife Olive moved from their Mansion in Defiance Missouri to new cabin near present-day Ash Grove in 1837

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House built originally as a double pen log cabin Built primarily using Ash and Walnut logs Moved there in order to be closer to the frontier he had so frequently surveyed Later died in 1856 in the same home Would be gone for months on hunting, fighting, or business trips Olive left to care for farm and family

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Trail existed from 1821-1880 Eventually replaced by the railroad system Part of the Big Three trails that were important to westward travel Oregon and Chisholm the other two Carried goods and promoted trade between the Spanish provinces Eventually with the independent Mexican government and U.S. territories Pre- 1821 explorers and mountain men traded with the Spanish provincial capital illegally Followed along Indian and game trails

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In 1821 Mexico gained independence from the Spanish There the trade barriers were removed William Becknell and four other men set out from Franklin Missouri to Santa Fe to trade Trip roughly 1,203 miles and took roughly 8 weeks Its first 20 years the trail averaged 80 wagons and 150 people per year Carried a great deal of U.S. troops during the Mexican-American war in 1846 Once under U.S. control, military forts were setup along its route to protect travelers and control Indian conflicts The Civil War also increased the number of military operations along the trail

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By late 1860s, more than 5,000 wagons traveled the trail each year Most of the goods traded included burros, furs, gold, horses and silver Two parts to the trail Northern trail slower but less dangerous Takes them to Bents Fort Southern trail much quicker but much more dangerous Deal with water scarce and more hostile Indians Tried to extend the Old Spanish Trail to Los Angeles but was defeated due to the Railroad in 1880

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Circle the Wagons Used to defend against Indian raiding Indians would use bow and arrows and the wagons provided protection

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Indian hostility made it too dangerous to trap in the Northern Rockies using the outpost system Primarily because of the Blackfeet In 1823 William Ashley moved operations southward and placed an ad in St. Louis newspaper Offered good money for trapping Called Rocky Mountain Fur Co.

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Trappers moved up river or stream Leave traps for animals and reverse back down the river Collecting traps as they return Often these Mountain Men live with Indians Sometimes married women and picked up a great deal of Indian lifestyle Each summer Ashley came to a mountain valley with goods and money All Mountain men involved and had a big party Called a Rendezvous

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Best land route for travel to the Western United States Between 1841-1866 nearly 250,000 to 650,000 people made the trip The longest of the overland routes used in the westward expansion of the United States Individuals began taking the trail in 1841 First large group included 900 immigrants in 1843 Most people began their journey in Independence, Missouri near the Missouri River The journey was a severe test of strength and endurance

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Distance Trip took nearly six months and followed a winding 2,000 mile trail Often crossed flooded rivers Attacked by Indians Nearly 10,000 overlanders died between 1835-1855 Only 4% were due to Indian attacks Most deaths were due to Cholera, Small pox and Firearm accidents During the summer months the trail was crowded with wagon trains, army units, missionaries, hunting parties, traders and sightseeing tours

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From St. Louis, emigrants would set out towards a town near Kansas City in Mid-March Pivotal to maintain enough resources to survive the trip Included food, clothing and even more importantly wagon parts Could Cost up to $250-500 ($5,000-10,000 Todays Cost) Sometimes carried to much food and clothing which bogged down the wagon Due to the overcrowded wagon most had to walk Many were barefooted If something from the wagon broke, very difficult to fix and move forward Most often used Mule or oxen and rarely horses

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Many bridges were built to help overlanders to cross dangerous rivers Fee for crossing over the bridge Bridge Fees could net the operator nearly $65,000/ years in present-day costs Indian tribes also were known for issuing fees to cross their land Created much animosity among the travelers

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Established the territory of Utah in 1846 Between 1846-1869 nearly 70,000 Mormons traveled westward to Salt Lake City, Utah Purpose was to maintain religious and cultural identity Started in Nauvoo, Illinois Had already been kicked out of Missouri years prior Led by leader Brigham Young Succeeded founder Joseph Smith who had recently died in Illinois Predominantly followed their own trail, and only briefly used the Oregon Trail Left in Companies similar to military marches

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Due to greater number of Americans immigrating across the Great Plains conflict with Indians increased In response the Federal Government sought to protect the Indians through Concentration

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Treaties established to police the high plains and stop Indian attacks on the Overlanders First Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851 for Northern Plains) Treaty of Fort Atkinson (1853 for Southern Plains) Americans demanded protection from the Indians Most bands refused to participate in the treaties While claiming authority, minority bands signed the treaties

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Provisions Indians were to stay within lands defined by specific boundaries Due to the difficult of military to identify those Indians involved in raiding of overlanders The government acknowledged Indians rights to the designated lands Yet U.S. could set up military post along the different trails Both sides agreed to pay for any damages caused by their citizens Each Indian nation was to receive $50,000 ($1.4 Million today) and annuities for 50 years Ended up only receiving 15 years of annuities due to Senate ability to change treaties without Indian knowledge or consent

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Brevit 2 nd Lt. John Grattan at Fort Laramie eager to teach the Lakota a lesson August 18, 1854 a Mormon cow wandered into a Brule camp under Conquering Bear Along the Platte River Visiting Minniconjous High Forehead killed the cow Conquering Bear wouldnt give up High Forehead Grattan orders to fire canon which kills the head but no one else Under the Treaty of Fort Laramie the attack happened within Conquering Bears authority Indians kill all 30 troops

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Government eager to open up Kansas and Nebraska for development Especially for the Railroad As Commissioner of Indian Affairs, he setup negotiations with various Indian groups Between 1853-1857 they negotiated nearly 52 treaties with mostly village agriculturalist Indians Indians lose over 15 million acres through treaties

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1854 and 1855 Dakotas raided along the Oregon Trail Including a stage coach with $10,000 Secretary of War Jefferson Davis sent William Harney into the field in order to enforce the treaty The government then called in the friendlies then went after the rest Indians who supported the treaties and tended to live near the military forts Harney struggled due to inability to adjust to the guerilla warfare of the plains

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William Harney

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Battle of Antelope Hills Not all Comanche recognized the treaty of Fort Atkinson Nor the distinction between Texas and U.S. and continued to raid into Texas Daniel Twiggs and troops sent out to enforce the treaty Texas sends Rangers under the Command of Captain John Rip Ford On May 1858, Rangers with Tonkawa and Anadarko Indians found a Comanche encampment 4 whites and 76 Comanche killed, 18 prisoners and 300 horses captured

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Battle of Rush Springs Comanche hit Choctaw, Chickasaw and Wichita Indians Some Comanche leaders knew of pending retaliation so they went to Fort Arbuckle Tried to convince military not to react Troops under Major Earl Van Dorn in 1858 sent out to enforce the treaty 6 Whites and 56 Comanche killed More Raiding in response to military attack

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Primarily due to Civil War and its Total War approach Local militias replaced federal troops throughout Great Plains More likely to hate Indians than men from the east

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Indians hungry due to annuities not being delivered Part of treaties that Congress changed or cut Young Indians failed to find small game on over-hunted reservations A few stopped at a farm and ask for food When denied, they killed several whites and took food They returned to their reservation and told what happened

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Many frustrated with leader Little Crow Had accepted the reservation treaty Called on him to declare war against the militias Little Crow reluctantly went along with those calling for war Local militia eventually put an end to a bloody war Over 300 Indians were sentenced to be hung Lincoln intervened and lowered the number to 38 Those defeated but not killed fled to live with other Dakotas Little Crow survived but later killed by farmer for reward

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Colorado gold rush just before the Civil War Many flooded onto designated to Cheyenne and Arapaho in the First Treaty of Fort Laramie The government built the Smokey Hill road to link Americans in Colorado to the Oregon Trail Indians retaliated with raids Colorado Territorial Governor John Evans illegally intervened Created a small reservation on barren land near Fort Lyon Only two headmen accepted it and encamped there Black Kettle (southern Cheyenne) and Little Raven (Southern Arapaho)

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Major Wynkoop sympathized and fed those who had surrendered Evans assembled a militia under John Chivington known as the Hundred Dazers Chivington chased the Indians with little success With 100 days near an end Wynkoop was chastised by Washington D.C. for feeding the enemy Chivington then hit the Sand Creek encampments Devastated the Indians and proudly rode into Denver displaying Indian parts at the theater

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Significance of event Killed 8 of the 44 Council headmen Most of those killed called for peace with Whites Reinforced with the Dog Soldier the ineptness of the peace policies Further undermined tribal authority and structure

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