Little Bighorn

• Despite their victory, the Battle of Little Bighorn

  Had severe consequence for Sioux nations and Plains Indians as a whole
• Prior to the battle, the American public

  Generally agreed with the government's policy of trying to negotiate peacefully with Plains Indians
• Once news spread than 200 US soldiers had been murdered by the Sioux

  Public opinion quickly turned
• The Battle of Little Bighorn

  Transformed government policy towards Plains Indians
• New government policy towards Plains Indians

  • Aimed to keep Plains Indians strictly on their reservations
  • Ignored any previous treaties that had been made between the US government and Plains Indians
  • Enforced military control on Plains Indians
• The Sioux were forced to give up the Black Hills

  As the US government refused to give them food or supplies until they did so
• The construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad was approaching Sioux Indian hunting grounds in Dakota

  George Custer, a US army commander, was ordered to protect the construction workers from Plains Indian attacks
• Custer began to mine for gold in the Black Hills

  This led of thousands of gold prospectors travelling to the Black Hills and settling on Dakota Sioux Land
• The US government offered to buy the Black Hills from the Sioux for $6 million


  The Sioux rejected this offer and continued to attack prospectors trespassing their land
• The US government then used this

  As an excuse to accuse the Sioux tribe of breaching the Fort Laramie Treaty
• Thousands of Sioux left their reservation to join the militant Sioux leaders Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse


  The US government ordered them to return to their reservations and, in December 1875, were given 60 days to do so or they would be attacked
• Deep snow made it impossible for the Sioux to return to their reservations

  By the spring of 1876, over 7,000 Sioux were settled outside of their reservation near the valley of Little Bighorn
• The US army planned to force the Sioux back into their reservations


  By launching an attack on them
• Custer ignored orders to wait for reinforcements


  And recklessly led 200 men into the Little Bighorn Valley where the Sioux were gathered
• Crazy Horse attacked Custer's men


  Killing all 200 of them
• It was a momentous victory of the Sioux Indians and an embarrassing defeat for Custer and the US government