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The nineteenth century was a time in which a dark cloud hung over the Untied States. Many Americans were possessed by an intense economic greed. This avarice, as well as the intentions of individuals and of the American government were the foremost reasons for the desire to terminate the American Indian. During the years of 1830 and 1890, the Americans signed various treaties with the Indians. However, these promises were never kept and throughout these six decades the Indians were continuously lied to and cheated upon by the Americans.
For example, in 1851 the Cheyennes, Arapahos, Sioux, Crows, and other tribes met at Fort Laramie with United States representatives. The Indians agreed to allow the Americans to establish roads and military posts in their territory and both parties promised to, maintain good faith and friendship in all their mutual intercourse, and to make an effective and lasting peace. But ten years after the signing of the treaty, the Indian country along the Platte River was so filled with white establishments and vehicles, the land was basically theirs. Another example of the Indians getting cheated occurred when the Teton Sioux tribes surrendered after the wars of 1876 and 1877. After winning the Black Hills and the Powder River country, the government wanted more land from the Indians.
They changed the western boundary of the Great Sioux Reservation, cutting off a fifty-mile strip which was adjoined to the Black Hills and gaining another region between the forks of the Cheyenne River. Spotted Tail, a chief Indian spokesman, responded to the actions of the government and the people of America, This war did not spring up here in our land... This war has come from robbery from the stealing of our land. It is evident that the Indians lost the majority of their land due to the Americans stealing it from them. The Americans undoubtedly exploited the Indians during these years also. In 1858 thousands of white miners sought to find gold at Pikes Peak.
Almost immediately wooden houses, villages and towns were built, despite the already settled Indians. The gold, which rightfully belonged to the Indians, was collected by the Americans. After years of negotiating with the Indians about the Black Hills, a US senator told Spotted Tail, When the gold or other valuable minerals are taken away, the country will again be yours to dispose of in any manner you may wish. Although Spotted Tail refused this proposal also, the fact that the senator actually thought that the Indians would agree to such an arrangement shows that the Americans thought they could exploit the Indians.
Later, in 1863, three-fourths of the land owned by the Nez Perc s was taken by a treaty. The Indians called it the thief treaty. American government officials played a large role in the stealing of gold and land from the Indians. The governor of Colorado, John Evans, released a circular which claimed that Indians were attacking the whites and that some were even killed. He said that the Great Father (President Grant) is angry and will certainly hunt them out and punish them, and he urged that all Indians who were friendly move away, so they dont get punished by the Great Father. Later the same year, Evans issued a second proclamation which said that if any hostile Indians were seen they should be killed.
In another instance, in 1885, Governor Isaac Stevens of Washington invited the Nez Perc s to a peace council. He told the Indians that he wanted the land marked out so that the Indians and white men could be separated: If they were to live in peace it was necessary, the Indians should have a country set apart for them... At one point in 1863, President Grant signed an executive order withdrawing Wallowa Valley from settlement by white men. But in just two years after this promise was made, it was broken as the previous ones had been. These examples show how the government used its power to get what it wanted from the Indians and even when the President made a promise to the Indians, it was broken shortly after. Most of the nineteenth century was a tremendously harsh period for Indians.
Hundreds of thousands of miles of Indian land was taken by the Americans and thousands of Indians lost their lives trying to protect the land their people had had for centuries. Because of their economic greed and urge to get rid of the Indians, the Americans engaged in what many call the genocide of the Indians.
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Research essay sample on Nineteenth Century President Grant
