Study Notes on Native American Displacement and Educational Policies

Focus on the historical context of Native American displacement, treaties, and the resultant conflicts with the United States government.

In the mid-1800s, the United States sought to displace Native Americans from their lands.
- Motivation: The U.S. aimed to acquire land for raw materials and other economic benefits.

Some Native American tribes signed treaties with the U.S. government while others resisted.
- Reason for negotiation: Some tribes hoped to retain a portion of their land through treaty agreements.
- Caveat: Trust in the U.S. government was historically misplaced.

The Sioux tribes fought to retain control of the Black Hills.
- Current Location: The Black Hills are located in present-day South Dakota.
- Battle of Little Bighorn: A significant conflict between the Sioux and U.S. forces.
- The battle is popularly associated with Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer, who has often been romanticized in American culture.

In 1866, the Cheyenne and Sioux united to defend their hunting grounds in the Powder River Valley.
They accomplished multiple victories against the U.S. army, employing a strategy that included mutilation of enemy corpses, which was intended to diminish the opponent's morale.
The Second Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868) was established, guaranteeing control of the Black Hills to the Sioux.
- Promise by the U.S. government: The U.S. would not encroach on the sacred land of the Sioux.

In 1874, six years after the treaty was signed, it was violated by the U.S. government after gold was discovered in the Black Hills.
- Instead of honoring the treaty, the government attempted to buy the land from the Sioux, which they refused, asserting their rights to the land.
- The U.S. resorted to force, issuing an ultimatum for the Lakota Sioux to move to reservations.

Custer was tasked with leading an attack against the Sioux in 1876.
- The Sioux, led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, anticipated the U.S. offensive and set a trap.
- Despite having 265 soldiers, Custer and his men were overwhelmed by approximately 8,000 Sioux warriors during the battle.
- Custer ultimately died, and the battle marked a notable Native American victory.

Although the Sioux defeated Custer, this victory was short-lived as the U.S. army dedicated resources to hunting down the Sioux in retaliation.
Major events following the battle include:
- 1877: Crazy Horse was captured and killed.
- 1881: Sitting Bull surrendered, leading to the U.S. government confining the Lakota to the Great Sioux Reservation.

The Sioux filed lawsuits to demand compensation for the illegally taken Black Hills, culminating in a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1980.
- The court awarded $122,500,000 as compensation but the Sioux declined the monetary settlement, seeking the return of their land instead.

In 1877, funds were appropriated for Indian education aimed at eradicating Native American culture among youth.
- Philosophy: The educational approach was based on the mantra "destroy the Indian, save the man, " reflecting a belief in the superiority of American culture.

Native American children were forcibly taken from their families to attend boarding schools designed for assimilation.
- Initial approach: Children were stripped of their cultural markers (e.g., traditional clothing, long hair) and given anglicized names.
Notable transformations upon attendance at these schools:
- Children were forced into uniformity, with significant pressure to adopt Anglo-American identities.
Carlisle Indian School: A key institution aimed at erasing Native identities and fostering Anglo-American cultural norms.

To further enforce cultural assimilation, the outing system was established during the 1880s.
- Native American children spent summers living with white families to reinforce American customs.
- This system attempted to disconnect children from their Native American roots and cultural practices throughout the year.

Many Native American families resisted the removal of their children.
- The U.S. army often forcibly took children from their parents, leading to dire situations where families hid children in anticipation of army raids.