In 1851, a treaty was created to give 60 millions acres of land in the Black Hills to the Sioux Indians. Gold was discovered not long after this, and in 1857 roads were built throughout the Black Hills. The settlers ignored the Native American's land boundaries. In 1868, another treaty was signed that reduced the Sioux tribes land. The United States broke their part of the treaty; they took the rights away from the Sioux by taking the land that was granted to them in the treaty. The Sioux Indians were there before the white settlers, but the settlers were so greedy they would do anything to get the land they wanted. The United States wanted to expand westward and many settlers wanted to search for gold in the Black Hills, which legally belonged to the Sioux Indians. The settlers would not give in, they continued to threaten the Native Americans to give up their land. When that did not work a new treaty was created in 1876; this treaty seized all the Native Americans land. The United States did not show, any responsibility because they kept shrinking the Sioux's land size to fit their desires. The Indians were furious that their land had been taken away so nearly 10,000 Indians met at the Little Bighorn River to confront Custer and his army of 600 soldiers. Within the hour, Custer and all his men were all dead, this was known as "Custer's Last Stand." The between the Indians and the U.S. died down after this, except for a few skirmishes here and there. Unfortunately, within the next five years the Sioux, and almost all other Indian tribes would be confined to reservations.
"The wasichus had found the yellow metal that the European Immigrants called gold that they worship and that makes them crazy and they want to put a road up through our country to the place where the metal was; but my people did not want the
road.
-Black Elk
road.
-Black Elk
"You have driven away our game and our means of livelihood out of the country, until now we have nothing left that is valuable except the hills you ask us to give up..."
-Chief Wanigiska (White Ghost)
"Only seven years ago we made a treaty by which we were assured that the buffalo country should be left to us forever. Now they threaten to take that from us also."
-Sitting Bull