How Did the Development of the West Affect the Plains? (Edexcel GCSE History)

Did the Lives of the Indigenous Peoples of the Plains Change by 1876? - Summary

By 1876, the lives of the indigenous people of the Plains had undergone significant changes. This is due to the impact of European colonisation and westward expansion.

Indigenous tribes had lived on the Plains for centuries. Many tribes lived a nomadic lifestyle centred around hunting buffalo. They lived in close harmony with the land and celebrated the Wakan Tanka.

By 1876, the lives of Indigenous peoples on the Plains dramatically altered. European settlers and the expansion of the railroad destroyed the Plains. The US government's policies aimed at assimilating the Indigenous peoples. This took away a lot of the Indigenous peoples' traditions and customs.

The Indigenous tribes lost much of their lands. Indigenous tribes were forced off their ancestral lands and onto reservations. These reservations were often far from their traditional hunting grounds and resources. Reservations led to economic, social and cultural challenges for indigenous communities.

The Impact of Railroads on the Tribes of the Plains

The Impact of the Cattle Industry on the Tribes of the Plains

The Impact of Gold Prospecting on the Tribes of the Plains

The Impact of Reservations on the Tribes of the Plains

Why did Indigenous Tribes Move Onto Reservations?

• The tribes believed the promises made by the US government

  • The US government promised each tribe that:

    • The tribe would not lose any more land

    • The tribe could continue hunting on hunting grounds

    • The government would protect the tribes from attack by white settlers

    • The government would give yearly payments in money, food, livestock and farming equipment to the tribes

• There was no other way to survive

  • Tribal councils realised that reduced land and food supplies made their traditional way of life impossible

• The government used the US Army

  • Some tribes refused to move or did not stay inside reservation boundaries

  • The army used violence to force them to move into the reservation or capture tribal members

Consequences of Reservations

• Reservations did not respect tribal culture

  • Many Indigenous tribes could no longer be nomadic

  • A chief's agreement to a treaty with the US government did not guarantee that the tribe would stay on the reservation

    • Chiefs did not have the same powers as Western leaders

  • The US government wanted to force Indigenous peoples to convert to Christianity and be literate

  • Often, reservations were far away from a tribe's sacred places

  • The government accidentally placed enemy tribes on the same reservation

    • This occurred with the Apache and Navajo tribes

• Farming for Indigenous peoples was nearly impossible

  • Reservations had poor-quality land

  • Some tribes had no tradition of farming

  • Many tribes relied on the government for food

• The reservations were poorly run

  • The Bureau of Indian Affairs managed reservations

    • Many of the Bureau's agents were corrupt. They kept government supplies for themselves

• Over time, reservations became smaller

  • White settlers complained about the size of reservations

  • The US government used any excuse to break their promise and reduce reservations

  • Tribes struggled to survive in small reservations

The Impact of President Grant's Peace Policy on the Tribes of the Plains

• President Grant realised that poor reservation management was leading to conflict with Indigenous tribes

• In 1868, President Grant released the Peace Policy