Life on the Indian Reservations in the 1880's
After the events of the Battle of Little Big Horn the US government forced Plains Indians onto smaller reservations and took away their independence. It was agreed by the
1880's that Indians couldn't be allowed to large reservations as they could cling onto their old ways of life
The plan was to put
Indians onto small
reservations and
force them to
assimilate or die
On these smaller
reservations the
power of Indian
tribal chiefs was
taken away. US
agents and special
courts were set up
judge and punish
Indians on
reservations
By 1885 the Plains Indians had lost the ability t
govern themselves
Government agents ran the reservations backed up
the US army. An Indian agency police force was
created
Plains Indian children were sent to schools that were off
reservations . Parents were forced to send their children to
these schools in return for food. They were taught to reject
their old way of life and were taught Christianity
Task: Study the sources below and further explore what life was like on Indian reservations in the 1880's..........................
Source 2: Sioux Reservation 1889
Source 1: Indian Reservation ration ticket
Source 3: Plenty Horses was 14 years old when
sent to a boarding school in 1883 for 5 years
Source 4:1888 Skokomish Indian school
I found that the education I had received was of no
benefit to me. There was no chance to get
employment, nothing for me to do whereby I could earn
my board and clothes. No opportunities to learn more
and remain with the whites. I went back to live as I had
before going to school
Source 5: Indian women on a Reservation 1889
Source 6: 1892 Chief Sitting Bull gave an interview
The life my people want is a life of freedom. I have seen
nothing that a white man has, houses or railways or clothing
or food that is as good as the right tom move in the open
country and live a life of freedom. We are dependent on the
whites for everything