Nez Perce War Research Paper

The US government was at war with the Nez Perce. They killed many of the Indians and took their land by

Once the Sioux figured out that they now had a chance to push the Ponca’s out of Indian Territory, that’s just what they did. They took their crops, horses, and gave many threats towards them. The third most famous war called the Great Sioux war began in 1876. Although the U.S. government had won the war, it still didn’t mean they would stop pleasing the Sioux. The U.S. government gave what was left of the Ponca land to the Sioux. The treaty they made with the Ponca’s was completely broken. They cheated the Ponca Indians, and they were furious. In January 1877, Edward C. Kemble asked the Ponca’s to let him speak during church service. He told them that the government had given their fields and farm to the Sioux for a greater purpose. He also told them that they be getting new virgin lands in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). By this time the there only 738 Ponca Indians in the tribe, which meant they were not much of a force to the federal government.

The Nez Perce War was an armed conflict between several bands of the Nez Perce tribe of Native Americans and their allies, a small band of the Palouse tribe led by Red Echo (Hahtalekin) and Bald Head (Husishusis Kute), against the United States Army. The conflict, fought between June–October 1877, stemmed from the refusal of several bands of the Nez Perce, dubbed "non-treaty Indians", to give up their ancestral lands in the Pacific Northwest and move to an Indian reservation in Idaho. This forced removal was in violation of the 1855 Treaty of Walla Walla, which granted the tribe 7.5 million acres in their ancestral lands and the right to hunt and fish in lands ceded to the government.

The Nez Perce and the elders were promised millions of acres of land near Wallowa, Oregon. When gold was discovered in their territory, the government wanted their land for gold mining. Prospectors began to stream on Nez Perce property looking for mineral deposits. The U.S Army tried to force them to live on a reservation and give up their land. Joseph refused to sign

When whites first came to America, they tried to control the Indians. Whites soon realized that they could not control the Natives. This led to the Whites giving the Indians rights, but the Army ignored the rights the Natives had been given. As part of the Treaty of Fort Laramie or The Horse Creek treaty, 1851, the Native tribes were to be paid an annual annuity for granting the traveling immigrants a safe passage and staying within their tribal territories (Barrett 1). With an increase in foot travel along the trails leading to California for the gold rush, tensions were running high in the Native tribes (Cubbison 1). While the Natives were peaceful with the immigrants, their trust in The Army was failing. The soliders at Fort Laramie were

The natives didn’t get there rights they were promised,they were promised land yet they lost much,they were promised peace yet many died of war,the U.S. was unfair and unjust toward the nez perce and had forced them into signing the treatie and did not stand by it. Although the U.S, may say that they followed all the Natives rights and that they may not understand the treaties but still the natives rights weren’t followed as stated in the treatie.

The United States was weak and poor after the Revolutionary War and this vital land was their only hope for success (Calloway). Unfortunately, this land was still home to many Native American tribes. The Native Americans that called this land home thought that the new settlers were coming in and taking over their land without any sort of reason or permission. The Native Americans did not take too kindly to these new people and their disregard for the Native American’s territories. The Creek Chief of Hallowing King said “Our lands are our life and our breath, if we part with them, we part with our blood” (qtd by Calloway). As a result of the discontent, there was a growing amount of violence that took place. The United States government had very little control over the area at the time of this unrest.

“The United States agree to pay to the said tribe in addition to the goods and provisions distributed to them at the time of signing this treaty, the sum of two hundred thousand dollars.” (Nez perce treaty article 4). The United States government bribed the Nez Perce tribe with extra money to sign the treaty that gave up the Nez Perce tribe's land and moved them to a reservation. The Nez Perce tribe did sign the treaty even though they were bribed because they wanted the money. “... named lawyer signed the treaty. The treaty gave away all the Nez Perce land” (Historylink). The Nez Perce tribe wanted the money so bad they were willing to sign a treaty they did not understand. The Nez Perce tribe never understand the treaty but the government wanted them to sign is so bad that they bribed the tribe. The US government was not justified to bribe the Nez Perce tribe to sign something they did not

The United States Government and the “Natives” were engaged in many battles over the years. One of those battles was the Battle of Little Big Horn or commonly known as Custer's Last Stand. The Battle little Big Horn took place at the little big horn river (now Montana) in 1876 with Lt. Col. George Custer against Crazy Horse and the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes. According to Janiskee (2011) “268 Soldiers and attached personnel of the Seventh Cavalry” and “About 100 Indians” (para.7) were killed in the fight. Another famous battle United States Government and the “Natives” was the Battle of Fallen Timbers.

“My people, while I was gone you have sold my country, I have come home, and there is not left me a place which to pitch my lodge”(looking glass) Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce war. The U.S was not justified in their actions leading up to and during the Nez Perce war.

Taking into account the challenges they would have to face, they pleaded to let them stay in their homeland but the response was yet another that resulted in force when General Howard arrested Chief Toohoolhoolzote. The chiefs not wanting to wage war decided to leave their homeland but an event occurred where a few young Nez Perce warriors killed four settlers made matters worse (Edmunds). Consequently, this led to an attack that took place at White Bird Canyon dated June 17, 1877 (West). The repercussions of the conflict prompted a fifteen hundred mile journey for the Nez Perce. According to Evans, during that odyssey some 250 Nez Perce defeated the about 2000 U.S. army soldiers in a series of 18 embarrassing battles and skirmishes. The Nez Perce reaching the Bear Paw Mountains were only thirty to forty miles shy from Canada stopped for rest, thinking that the U.S. army was far behind but general Howard had notified Colonel Miles, who with his six hundred men rushed to intercept them (Calloway). During the battles of the fifteen hundred odyssey most of the chiefs died and in the battle of Big Hole somehow Chief White Bird along with three hundred men escaped and reach Canada while Chief Joseph after five days surrendered. The Nez Perce that surrendered were promised by Colonel Miles to be able to return to their homeland if they surrendered. According to Calloway the promise was a betrayal but arguably according to Edmunds

In the early 1800’s, The United States and Spain had continuously argued with the Native people. The Louisiana Territory was purchased from France in the year 1803, Americans continued to push farther west for fertile land that could be used for farming. Due to overcrowding of eastern cities like New York City and Boston many settlers moved out west for a new start. It allowed for colonists to spread out and own untouched fertile land. When white settlers arrived they had realized that most of the land acquired from the territory was occupied by Native Americans for thousands of years. For decades Americans had thought that the land west of the Appalachian Mountains were unoccupied, but they were wrong. There were many tribes that had occupied this land. This included tribes like, The Choctaw, Cherokee, and The Chickasaw. In a sense, Americans had violent outbreaks with the Natives the minute the colonists’ had arrived in the United State. As the colonists’ tried to establish complete dominance and superiority over the Indians, ongoing heated debates over land ownership, and demanding requests to satisfy greed made forceful attacks between the groups unavoidable.

When they found gold it was just a matter of time before things on the Sioux land would become heated. Miners made their way to the Black Hills, moving further and further into the Sioux’s hunting grounds. Ulysses S. Grant who was president during this time tried to honor the Treaty of Fort Laramie (PBS n.d.) but the miners demanded government protection from the Native Americans (Clark n.d.). When Grant gave into the pressure the federal government issued an order requiring all Indians to move onto reservations by January 31, 1876, otherwise they would be considered hostile (PBS n.d.).

The first big battle was called Powder River. On June 25, 1876 the American army was trying to round up all the northern Cheyenne and the Lakota tribes and try to put them on a reservation. This leads to a battle which the army commander was killed who was Lt. col. George Custer. This made the Americans outraged. Five months after the battle the army attacked their camp, which had 1,200 Indians. this was the biggest impact to the Cheyenne tribe. If that wasn’t enough the American army was killing the buffalos to start to eliminate the Indians food source. Many of the Indians died because of this. the biggest impact on all the Indian tribes was the battle of Little Bighorn. This was the greatest battle and win for the native americans. Over 262 soldiers died with, only 63 Indian soldiers died. After the battle the american army forced 1,000 Indians onto a reservation. Most of them died along the way there because of malaria and different type of illness. Some of the Indians tried to run away and go back to Montana but most of them was caught and killed on the spot. Little wolf and some of his companies was the only ones that made it back to Montana.

Chief Joseph is the leader of the Nez Perce tribe. He led his tribe through many great accomplishments, although he had to end his success in a surrender. On October 5, 1877, Chief Joseph and to announce his surrender speech in the midst of a battle. In his famous speech, I Will fight No More Forever, Chief Joseph effectively uses appeals like ethos, logos, and pathos.