American History - Native Americans

1539

Spaniard Hernando de Soto explores the South of North America and is guided by Native Americans whom he captured while traveling. Later, other Native Americans attack his group, and hundreds of Native Americans are killed.

1756-1763

Seven Year‘s War between British and French. Native Americans help the French.

1785

Treaty of Hopewell is signed in Georgia. This protected the Cherokee Native Americans and set borders for their land.

1791

Some European settlers disagree with the borders, so the Treaty of Holston is signed. In it the Cherokee give up all their land outside the borders that were set in 1785.

1812

A war begins between the US army and the British, French and Native Americans over independence and territorial expansion.

1814

US forces and some Native Americans allies attack Creek Indians who were against American expansion. The Creels lose 20 million acres of their land. That is an area larger than present-day Bavaria.

1830

The Indian Removal Act gives land west of the Mississippi River to Native American tribes in exchange for land that was taken from them.

1830-1850

Nearly 60.000 Native Americans are moved from their land in the East to Oklahoma (this means „red people“ in the Choctaw language). Thousands of the die on the 1,200-mile journey, which is known Today as the Trail of Tears.

1851

The Indian reservation system was created to help keep them under control. The Native Americans were not allowed to leave their reservations without permission.

1874

The discovery of gold in South Dakota‘s Black Hills leads to US troops ignoring a treaty and invading the territory in the Black Hills War.

1876

In the Battle of the Little Bighorn Lieutenant Colonel George Custer and his 600 troops fight nearly 3.000 Native American warriors, who were le by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. Custer and his troops lose the battle and are killed. This massacre increases the problems between Native Americans and white Americans.