acts/ treaties

• Fort Laramie Treaty 1851

  causes- gold rush, increased contact between white americans and plains indians

  consequences- territories for plains indians tribes led to reservations, white settlers were allowed across plains indians territory and railroad surveyors + military posts in territories let to white settlement of the plains
• Indian appropriation act 1851

  gave money to the government to move plains indians onto reservations with hunting land but reduced space

  hoped they would assimilate
• Homestead Act 1862

  promoted settlement on the west by dividing up land and giving it to ordinary people

  160 acre homesteads for $10

  anyone above 21, single, or head of the household could apply

  proving up (own the land) - live there for 5 years, build a house, planted 5 acres of crops, pay $30

  80 million acres became homesteads

  only 13 million acres proved up by 1884, only 40% claims
• Pacific Railroad Act 1862

  authorised building of first transcontinental railroad

  central and union pacific built the railroads

  allowed due to fort laramie treaty (allowed prospectors to access indian land)

  got rid of rights indians had on the plains, caused conflict

  manifest destiny achieved

  huge economic benefits

  growth in cattle industry and improvement in migration
• Second Fort Laramie Treaty 1868

  Plains indians - Red cloud led his people back to sioux reservation but some refused, and said they would never leave reservation again but follow buffalo to hunt

  they wouldn't attack us army but conflict still happened

  sitting bull and crazy horse refused to sign treaty, led to battle of Little Big Horn

  US Gov - close bozemen trail, prevent white settlement on sioux land and leave black hills to them but other routes existed and built rail road in black hills and gold found
• Dawes Act 1887

  like a homestead act for plains indians

  aimed to break up power of tribes and chiefs by encouraging individual families to farm for themselves and assimilate

  by 1890, indians lost half their land to whites

  conditions difficult to farm so many sold land / cheated out of land by whites

  consequently, life for plains indians became harder in harsher conditions