Early Migration and Fort Laramie

• Fort Laramie Treaty, 1851


  The government wanted to reduce conflict on the Plains. The treaty aimed to reduced conflict between tribes and tribes would have to remain in their territory. Also, the treaty allowed settlers to cross the Plains and gave the government access to build roads, railroads and forts along the trails.
• In return


  The US government promised the tribes that they would have permanent rights to their lands and receive $50,000 of goods a year for 50 years.
• Neither side kept to the treaty. Not all tribes agreed with it, many didn't even know it existed. The government also couldn't ensure settlers kept to the agreement.
• Consequences of the Fort Laramie Treaty, 1851


  • Settlement increased in California and Oregon
  • Made it easier for tribes to remain in their territories so they could be restricted to their reservation in the future
  • Broken promises increased resentment among Native Americans towards the government and settlers
  • Marked the end of the Permanent Indian Frontier (Native Americans could no longer live freely on the Plains)
  • Led to further treaties, which restricted the Native Americans further
  • Rival tribes continued to fight each other etc. as they didn't understand the true details of the treaty
  • The tribes now had a relationship with the government and to get goods etc. they had to behave the way the government wished
• Second Fort Laramie Treaty (1868)


  • A consequence of Red Cloud's War
  • Red Cloud agreed to take his people to a reservation in Dakota
  • The treaty recognised this as the Great Sioux Reservation, which was exclusive to the Sioux nation
  • Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse refused to sign it
  • It included the Black Hills, which were sacred to the Lakota Sioux

  
• The Donner Party 1846 – Narrative Account


  1. Initially, the journey for the Donner Party was trouble-free

  2. George Donner (one of the leaders of the group) decided to try and take a short cut called Hastings Cut-off

  3. As a small group took Hasting's Cut-off, they realised that it would be a very difficult journey as their wagon struggled to make it up the rocky trails

  4. The route actually added 100 miles to their journey

  5. One particularly bad night, the axle on the wagon broke, which left the Donner Party unable to continue walking

  6. Over five feet of snow fell and the continuing poor weather left the group stranded for five months

  7. The group ran out of food supplies, so they killed their animals to survive

  8. When this food source ran out, they ate whatever they could around them, including soil and tree bark

  9. Members of the group started to starve and die

  10. The group became so desperate that they turned to cannibalism

  11. Eventually, a search party did get through the pass to help them, but by that point, most of the Donner Party had died
• Events of Mormon Migration


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• When they first got to Salt Lake, the conditions were tough


  There was a lack of rain, water, wood and grasshoppers destroyed crops
• They adapted


  Built irrigation ditches and built houses from sod
• They all worked hard to make the settlement a success
• New Mormon settlements spread out away from Salt Lake
• Brigham Young


  • Had the vision from God and wanted to create an independent state so the Mormons could live freely
  • Strong leadership and great organisation
  • Counted all the wagons available, planned what each person needed to survive
  • Consulted with trail guides and explorers so they prepared
  • Set up manageable groups with leaders so they knew what to do
  • Taught how to form their wagons into a circle at night to keep livestock safe and where to set up resting places on route

  
• Strict discipline and everyone had to follow their role to prevent problems