As various groups of immigrants streamed in, claimed land, and settled these areas with their own cultures, one population noticeably suffered. Native Americans, who had traditionally used the land for their survival, were pushed out by mostly white settlers intent on pursuing their dreams. "Manifest destiny" included the belief that the colonists were superior to native people and needed to spread their culture and bloodlines as far as possible. Ultimately, native people were forced from their ancestral lands onto segregated reservations.
Settlers and Native Tribes
Federal Government and Indian Wars
Life on Reservations
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| Crow prisoners under guard by United States Army in Montana |
Some settlers strove to live peaceably alongside Native American groups. However, others felt entitled to force native tribes off of their lands. Because many white settlers considered native people to be "savages," there was an underlying assumption that they posed a threat. While Native American attacks on settlers were fairly rare, they did sometimes happen. Native peoples presented an inconvenient barrier to unchecked expansion into the new frontier. Sometimes they demanded tolls or stole the settlers' livestock. One way to overcome some of these obstacles was to "civilize" the natives and convert them to Christianity. However, such efforts saw little success.
Native populations declined swiftly as warfare, disease, and malnutrition took a toll. Over a span of 15 years, one western tribe dwindled from a population of 150,000 to 35,000.
Question
What attitudes of white settlers led to poor treatment of Native Americans?
Many settlers felt superior to the Native Americans, whom they viewed as savages, and felt both threatened and inconvenienced by their presence.
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| General George Armstrong Custer's Last Stand at the Battle of Little Bighorn, 1876 |
As more settlers streamed into western settlements, conflict with native people increased. The United States government regularly stepped in to mediate these conflicts by establishing tribal boundaries. The government also worked out treaties with the tribes that offered them monetary compensation for land rights to build roads, railways, and outposts for travelers. However, as settler populations increased, so did the tensions between them and native tribes. In 1830, the American government passed the Indian Removal Act, which established a federal policy of forcing Native American populations to move away from areas occupied by European settlers.
Beginning in the 1850s, a series of dozens of battles called the Indian Wars broke out, some of them highly deadly for both sides. Legendary names such as Geronimo, Sitting Bull, and Crazy Horse sprang from this era. Ultimately, the U.S. Army had the weapons and resources to prevail. After defeating the Native American tribes, the United States forced them to live on government-controlled reservations.
Question
Why was war between American settlers and Native Americans inevitable?
Native tribes were being forced off their lands by rapidly increasing settler populations, and the government's mediation efforts greatly favored the settlers. Eventually, Native Americans fought to protect their lands.
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| Present-day Navajo reservation |
Life changed forever for native people once they were forced from their ancestral lands. Many found their assigned reservations to be unsuitable to their lifestyles and their skills. Nomadic tribes were now restricted in their movements, hostile tribes were sometimes thrown together into close proximity, and diseases brought by European settlers killed off many members of tribes. Attempts to "Americanize" Indians largely failed, and many natives fell into depression, poverty, and alcoholism. These problems still persist for many Native Americans.
Today, there are 567 recognized native tribes in the United States and 326 reservations.
Question
What challenges would Native Americans likely have faced after forced relocation onto desert lands?
Native Americans faced challenges of setting up new homes and finding new ways to support themselves off inhospitable, unfamiliar land. They also were thrown together sometimes with hostile tribes and had to learn how to get along.
