Land-based Conflict

Interactions between white Americans and Native Americans in the nineteenth century were characterized by white desire to occupy native land, whether to develop the railroad, pursue buffalo hunting, or claim newly-mined gold. Conflicts escalated into military battles in which Native Americans fought to defend their ancestral homeland. Military victory by Native Americans, such as in the Battle of Little Bighorn, did not deter white Americans’ interests. When the Lakota defeated Custer and his troops, the U.S.government deported the Lakota to reservations anyway, with a sharpened desire to claim more Native land as their own.  These videos demonstrate to students distinct chapters in the encounters between white Americans and Native Americans. Students will understand the forces that spurred these encounters, the traits that characterized each side’s treatment of one another, and the ultimate outcome of the American government’s strategy towards native populations. The culminating activity invites students to create a monument commemorating an important element of the Native American struggle during this time period, either for the Cherokee, one of three tribal leaders, or for the children at residential schools.

In 1846, tensions simmered into the Mexican-American war, after which Mexico lost half of its territory and the U.S. gained one-third of theirs.

Sitting Bull, or Tatanka-Iyotanka, was a chief and holy man of the Lakota. When Americans offered him money for support in moving the Lakota off the sacred Black Hills, where white Americans had found gold, he refused. This conflict became the basis for the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Accompanied by anti-Lakota tribesmen, General George Armstrong Custer attempted to drive the Lakota off the Black Hills to access gold. Sitting Bull gathered 3,000 Native warriors to protect the land.

When General Custer arrived at the Black Hills outnumbered four to one, the Lakota killed every last one of his men at The Battle of Little Bighorn, demonstrating his catastrophic overreach and the stunning military skill of the Lakota.

Americans refused to accept their defeat at Little Big Horn. Congress deeded the Black Hills to themselves and offered Sitting Bull and the Sioux land on a reservation. Sitting Bull refused and led his people to Canada, where they would not have to contend with the oppressive U.S. government.