As
white European settlers and their descendents continued to push westward
into the North American frontier, conflicts with Native Americans became
an inevitable consequence. While the wars occured sporadically from the
17th century onward, some of the fiercest fighting took place in the latter
half of the 19th century.
Following the War of 1812, the United
States government began a policy of removing Native Americans from their
homes and escorting them to lands west of the Mississippi--an area referred
to as Indian Territory. As a majority of tribes objected to forced relocation,
various wars ensued, including the Seminole Wars in Florida, from 1835
to 1842.
Although a reservation system was established
by the government in an attempt to separate Native Americans from the
white settlers, the Gold Rush in 1849 brought in additional floods of
settlers, pushing the frontier still further west and leading to still
more hostilities.
Some of the most famous events include
the Battle of Little Bighorn, where Lieutenant Custer and his soldiers
faced their last stand against a combined army of Sioux and Cheyenne warriors.
The Battle of Wounded Knee, where the US calvalry defeated the Sioux in
1890, is considered to be the last battle of the Indian Wars.
A century later, many Americans question
the morality of the wars that nearly wiped out all of the country's native
inhabitants. |
Indian
Wars @ HistoryChannel.com - Gives
a series of articles and a guide to historic places.
Oregon
Field Guide
- Chronicles the Modoc War in the Northwestern United States.
Indian Wars
- Collection of articles treats elements of the period's difficulties.
Battle of Little
Bighorn - Account of the battle includes maps and images.
Buffalo Soldiers
and Indian Wars - Tribute to the Buffalo Soldiers offers a historical
overview along with several photos and relevant links.
National Indian Wars
Association - Locate history, photos, documents, and a discussion
forum.
The
Indian Wars - Gives summaries of the battles and profiles of the
Native American tribes that participated in them.
Hillsdale
College - Provides documents regarding the frontier wars with the
Native Americans, including a variety of historical accounts.
Avalon
Project - Read the treaties that were signed by the United States
government and the Native Americans, in addition to transcripts of legal
cases and congressional sessions.
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