From the Trail of Tears to Wounded Knee: Ep 11 of Crash Course Native American History

Key Concepts:

• Treaties: Formal agreements between nations, specifically between the U.S. government and Native American tribes.
• Treaty Era: The period from the mid-18th to mid-19th centuries when the U.S. entered into nearly 400 treaties with Native nations.
• Reservations: Specific portions of land allocated by the U.S. government to tribes, often through forced relocation.
• Reservation Era: The period between 1850 and 1887 characterized by the establishment and expansion of the reservation system.
• Indian Removal Act: Legislation passed in 1830 granting the U.S. government power to exchange land west of the Mississippi for Native lands in the east.
• Wounded Knee Massacre: The 1890 massacre of Lakota people by the U.S. military.
• American Indian Movement (AIM): An organization that fought for the U.S. government to honor its treaty obligations with Native nations.

1. The Occupation of Wounded Knee (1973)

• In 1973, 200 Indigenous protestors, many of whom were members of the American Indian Movement (AIM), staged an armed takeover of Wounded Knee, the site of the 1890 massacre.
• The occupation lasted 71 days, during which there were exchanges of gunfire with federal authorities. The authorities admitted to firing over half a million rounds, resulting in the deaths of two Native men.
• The protesters engaged in ceremonial dances, songs, and prayers to draw attention to their cause.
• The occupation was primarily about the U.S. government honoring its treaty obligations with Native nations.

2. The Treaty Era (Mid-18th to Mid-19th Centuries)

• During the Treaty Era, the U.S. entered into nearly 400 treaties with Indian Nations.
• Most tribes were coerced into signing these treaties, and even those who entered willingly often lacked a full understanding of their implications.
• Treaties significantly altered tribal borders and played a major role in the removal of Native Americans from their lands as colonists expanded westward.
• The U.S. government frequently disregarded treaties when they were not in its favor.

3. The Reservation Era (1850-1887)

• The Reservation Era saw the formation and expansion of reservations, specific portions of land allocated to tribes by the U.S. government.
• Tribes were often forced to move to these reservations.
• In 1871, Congress ended the Treaty Era by passing an amendment that took away the right of Native nations to enter into treaties with the U.S. government.
• The existing treaties technically remained intact, but their enforcement became even more difficult.

4. Early Examples of Land Deals and Misunderstandings

• The sale of Manhattan Island (Manahatta) to the Dutch in 1626 is a well-known example of early interactions between Europeans and Native Americans.
• The traditional story states that the Lenape sold the island for $24 worth of beads and trinkets.
• However, the details of the deal are likely exaggerated, based on the writings of a single Dutch individual who wasn't even present.
• The Lenape likely believed they were renting or leasing the land, not selling it outright, due to differing cultural views on land ownership.
• Johanna Gorelick from the Museum of the American Indian stated, "I don't think the exchange itself is in question. I think the meaning of that exchange is in question.”

5. Treaty with the Delawares (1778)

• The Treaty with the Delawares, signed in 1778 between the U.S. and the Lenape (Delaware), was the first treaty between the newly formed United States and a Native nation.
• It promised sovereignty and statehood to the Lenape in exchange for allowing American troops to pass through their land during battles with the British.
• The Lenape upheld their end of the bargain, but the U.S. failed to deliver on its promises.

6. Expansion and the Indian Removal Act (1830)

• As the U.S. expanded, treaties became more focused on gaining territory.
• The Indian Removal Act of 1830 granted the U.S. government the power to exchange land west of the Mississippi River for Native lands in the east.
• These treaties were officially considered "voluntary," but bribery and threats were commonplace.
• The Treaty of New Echota, signed with a single Cherokee chief representing a small fraction of the tribe, ceded 7 million acres of land for $5 million.
• Under the leadership of Principal Chief John Ross, the Cherokee resisted removal, arguing that the treaty was a fraud.
• In 1838, the remaining Cherokee were forcibly removed by the Army and Georgia militia, leading to the Trail of Tears.
• An estimated 100,000 Native Americans were forced to leave their homes during the 1830s, and around 15,000 died along the way.

7. The Lakota-Sioux Treaty (1868) and Wounded Knee

• In 1868, the Lakota-Sioux signed a treaty with the U.S. that established the Great Sioux Reservation on 60 million acres of land.
• The U.S. government later discovered natural resources on that land and reduced the reservation to about 20 percent of its original size.
• Reservation life was difficult for the Lakota due to drought, poor farming conditions, the near extinction of the buffalo population, and restrictions on hunting.
• By 1890, tensions between the tribe and the government reached a breaking point, leading to the Wounded Knee Massacre.

8. Legacy and Contemporary Relevance

• The Occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973 brought the 1890 massacre back into the public eye and sparked a push for recognition of Native treaty rights.
• Native nations have used historic treaties to fight for the return of their lands and achieve legal wins.
• The fight for treaty recognition continues today, with Native leaders and activists pushing the federal government to honor its promises.
• Occupiers from 1973 joined protests at Standing Rock in 2016 to object to the Dakota Access Pipeline.
• Lakota leader Red Cloud: “They made us many promises, more than I can remember, but they never kept but one; they promised to take our land, and they took it.”

Synthesis/Conclusion:

The history of treaties between the U.S. government and Native American tribes is marked by coercion, misunderstanding, and broken promises. From the early land deals like the sale of Manhattan to the Treaty Era and the subsequent establishment of reservations, the U.S. government consistently prioritized its own expansion and interests over the rights and well-being of Native peoples. The Occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973 served as a catalyst for renewed efforts to enforce treaty rights, a struggle that continues to this day. The legacy of these historical injustices remains relevant, as Native leaders and activists continue to fight for treaty recognition and the return of their lands.