Little Crow's War

• What year did Little Crow's War occur?

  It occured in 1862.
• Why did it occur?

  In 1851, 12,000 of the Dakota Sioux agreed to move reservations. They gave up 24 million acres of land for $80,000 a year and $1.4 million upfront.
• What were some problems with the agreement the Dakota Sioux signed?

  • The tribe owed $200k to traders which they refused to pay, so the government delayed paying the money they owed to the Sioux
  • There was not enough food on the reservation and the Sioux would be punished for leaving the reservation
  • The Sioux would break into the store houses to steal food
• What were the key events of the lead up to and events Little Crow's War?

  • 1858 - The Sioux signed off half of their reservation to pay off their debts
  • August 1862 - The tribe were starving but they were not given any help by the government
  • Civil War - During the war, young warrior bands stole from food stores and attacked settlers; 600 were killed including men, women, children and soldiers
• What were the results of Little Crow's War?

  • The white settlers wanted revenge, so 400 of the Sioux were put to trial; 38 were found guilty of murder or rape and so they were executed
  • The rest of the Sioux were moved to the Crow Creek Reservation which had bad land so many starved
  • Little Crow (the chief of the Dakota Sioux) was shot by a hunter and beheaded by another man; the hunter sold his scalp for bounty