In this Grade 8 lesson from California myWorld Interactive, students examine the early history and culture of the Plains Indians, exploring how the introduction of horses transformed bison hunting, migration patterns, and daily life through tools like the travois and tepee. The lesson then traces how shifting U.S. federal policies — including reservations and the allotment system — created lasting hardship for American Indian nations. Students practice summarizing key developments in westward expansion's impact on Indigenous peoples during the post-Civil War era from 1865 to 1914.
Section 1
Life on the Plains: The Impact of the Horse
Before Europeans arrived, many peoples of the Great Plains lived in settled farming villages. They hunted on foot, which made pursuing large bison herds difficult.
In the 1600s, Spanish colonists brought horses to North America. These animals spread across the plains, and Native American groups quickly became expert riders.
Section 2
The U.S. Government Breaks Treaties
As the United States expanded westward, settlers and miners pushed onto lands belonging to American Indian nations. The U.S. government signed treaties, like the Fort Laramie Treaty, which promised to protect American Indian territories in exchange for safe passage for settlers.
However, these promises were often broken. When gold or other valuable resources were discovered, the government allowed settlers to ignore the treaties and claim the land. This pattern of broken agreements destroyed trust and led to years of conflict.
Section 3
Broken Treaties and the Reservation System
As American settlers moved west, the U.S. government created a policy to move Native Americans onto specific, limited areas of land called reservations. This policy was designed to clear the way for railroads and new settlements, confining tribes to lands that were often undesirable.
Government officials used treaties to acquire tribal lands, but these agreements were often deceptive or ignored. Many broken treaties, like the one that took the Black Hills from the Sioux, led to distrust and conflict. When treaties failed, the U.S. Army used force to remove Native peoples.
Section 4
The U.S. Destroys the Plains Indian Way of Life
The U.S. government forced Plains Indian nations onto reservations. These were small, defined areas of land that were often unsuitable for farming. This policy of confinement, known as the reservation system, ended their nomadic lifestyle and broke their connection to their ancestral lands.
At the same time, settlers and the U.S. Army began a campaign to destroy the American bison. The near-extermination of these herds eliminated the Plains Indians' primary source for food, clothing, and shelter. This left them dependent on the government for survival and shattered their traditional culture.
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Section 1
Life on the Plains: The Impact of the Horse
Before Europeans arrived, many peoples of the Great Plains lived in settled farming villages. They hunted on foot, which made pursuing large bison herds difficult.
In the 1600s, Spanish colonists brought horses to North America. These animals spread across the plains, and Native American groups quickly became expert riders.
Section 2
The U.S. Government Breaks Treaties
As the United States expanded westward, settlers and miners pushed onto lands belonging to American Indian nations. The U.S. government signed treaties, like the Fort Laramie Treaty, which promised to protect American Indian territories in exchange for safe passage for settlers.
However, these promises were often broken. When gold or other valuable resources were discovered, the government allowed settlers to ignore the treaties and claim the land. This pattern of broken agreements destroyed trust and led to years of conflict.
Section 3
Broken Treaties and the Reservation System
As American settlers moved west, the U.S. government created a policy to move Native Americans onto specific, limited areas of land called reservations. This policy was designed to clear the way for railroads and new settlements, confining tribes to lands that were often undesirable.
Government officials used treaties to acquire tribal lands, but these agreements were often deceptive or ignored. Many broken treaties, like the one that took the Black Hills from the Sioux, led to distrust and conflict. When treaties failed, the U.S. Army used force to remove Native peoples.
Section 4
The U.S. Destroys the Plains Indian Way of Life
The U.S. government forced Plains Indian nations onto reservations. These were small, defined areas of land that were often unsuitable for farming. This policy of confinement, known as the reservation system, ended their nomadic lifestyle and broke their connection to their ancestral lands.
At the same time, settlers and the U.S. Army began a campaign to destroy the American bison. The near-extermination of these herds eliminated the Plains Indians' primary source for food, clothing, and shelter. This left them dependent on the government for survival and shattered their traditional culture.
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter